Pick Up The Phone
by mzdarkstar
Summary: Sharpay is a Star. She has everything she wants . . . except friends. When a mysterious caller keeps calling, and people start to disappear, turn against her, and even die, who will she turn to? Surprise pairing: ----pay!
1. A Mysterious Caller

**This is a HSM Horror fanfic I'm working on, and I think it will go really well, if i do it properly, so I hope you like it.**

**This story is dedicated to someone who writes Sim Stories, he does some of the best ones I've read! ****So anyway, he did this story about a TV Star being terrorized and that gave me inspiration to write this.**

**WARNING: Before you read, I just want you to know that there is a bit of swearing in this story, and later on there will possibly be violence and death with gory details. It's not bad enough for 'M', so I've rated this tory 'T'.**

**Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own this work of art my friend . . . do YOU?**

* * *

Halloween. 

It's one of the most exciting days of the year, because East High held a special Hallow's Eve Party. Taylor, Chad, Troy and Gabriella were definitely excited as they entered the Gym, where the party was being held.

The gym had decorations and party lights everywhere, and scary pictures on the walls, and everyone was completely hyped, getting into the mood..

"Alright!" yelled Chad over the music. "Let the party begin!"

And the people near them roared 'Wildcats' in reply to Chad, and the people far away from them yelled because everyone else was. Soon it was loud enough to give anyone a headache!

But as they were walking in . . . someone was watching them.

Close. Examining their every move.

That person was . . . Sharpay.

"Ryan, they're here." She said to her brother, nodding to the direction they were in.

_Troy looks particularly hot tonight_, she thought with a smirk, but that smirk was wiped off when Troy kissed Gabriella, who returned the gesture eagerly.

Then Sharpay turned her gaze to Chad, who was sweet talking Taylor. She looked away, swallowing.

"Ryan . . . I don't know what to do. It's just . . . okay, so everyone knows me, so I'm liked and looked up to . . . a star. I don't want people to think I'm cold-hearted. I want to be _liked,_ Ryan." Sharpay said quietly, and Ryan replied absent-mindedly,

"Shar, how many times have I said, just be yourself." He was looking at Kelsi, who was laughing with Gabriella.

"That is the crappiest piece of advice I've ever had!" Sharpay said angrily, and stormed outside.

…**HSM…**

Taking in the fresh air, Sharpay breathed deeply. Why is it she turned out like this? She didn't just want admirers . . . she wanted friends too. Her only friend was . . . did she even know _that_?

Behind her, there was a series of footsteps, and Sharpay turned around. It was only Chad.

"What do you want, Chad?" she sighed, her heart beating louder than usual. _Shut up!_ She told it.

"Just some air," he sighed back at her, stuffing his hand in his pockets. "Sometimes all the crowds and music and crap get too much."

A light breeze floated by, and ruffled his puffy hair, as they stood outside, alone. "What's up?"

"Why do you care?" said Sharpay quietly, turning away to look at the stars.

"Why did you call me Chad instead of Danforth?"

"Oh, I don't know . . . it's a new thing I'm trying, where I make friends instead of enemies and admirers. Ryan and Martha managed to turn their relationship around, and they hated each other before. Now they're great friends; it they can do it, why not us?"

"We haven't got a bad relationship anyway. You have friends anyway, it's . . ." Chad trailed off, not knowing what to say.

"Chad, if you think for a second that I don't know the shit you say about me behind my back, then you're just stupid. Stuff like 'Ohhhh Sharpay this' and 'Ooooh Sharpay that'. Maybe it's a cool thing between you guys that I just can't get . . ."

Sharpay took a breath and half-closed her eyes. She wasn't supposed to say that. Oh well, no going back now.

"Sharpay, you can't seriously think I-"

"Forget it. Just forget I said anything. I'm going home. Go back to the party, Chad. Taylor is probably looking for you. And if you see Ryan . . . tell him not to bring anyone home."

Sharpay flung her scarf over her shoulder, Ms Darbus style, and left quickly. Why was everything so _difficult?_ She just wanted to be appreciated for who she was. She was nuts if she thought Chad could do something like that.

…**HSM…**

Home alone. She was curled up on the sofa in her room, watching a soppy romance movie, because she didn't know what else to do. All of her friends were at the party. Next to her were her cell phone, a cup of hot chocolate and a packet of crisps.

Sharpay lived in a big house. It was beautiful and bright in the day, but at night it felt a bit too big. Like . . .

Like it was full of places to hide.

The movie got to the part where the girl (called Rose) thinks the guy (called Dave) is cheating on her, and leaves him. Then Rose is sitting at home and the phone starts to ring. Sharpay knew it was Dave calling.

"Go on . . ." whispered Sharpay, as Rose eyed the phone nervously. Rose looked away again.

"Pick it up, Rose . . ." Rose stood up, looking at her cell phone. She looked around, lost and helpless, as Sharpay began to get more agitated.

"Pick it up . . ." urged Sharpay to the TV, and Rose stepped nearer. She reached out her hand, and then withdrew it.

"_Pick up the phone!_" Sharpay screamed, when all of a sudden, the TV flickered and turned off. At the same moment, her own cell . . . had started to ring.

Sharpay looked at the screen. 'Anonymous' it read.

Probably Ryan calling from a payphone or something.

Or it could be a stranger calling the wrong number. Yes probably that, Ryan had his cell anyway.

"Hello?" she said casually.

"Hello Sharpay." Sharpay took the phone from her ear to look at it weirdly. Who the hell was that? The voice was metallic and cold, deep and almost comical at the same time. Definitely a male voice.

"Who is this?" She asked.

"Anonymous. But you can call me whatever you want. How about Joe? Or Bob?"

"Is this a prank caller? Who the hell is this?" frowned Sharpay. Maybe the prankster was a guy from East high? The voice started to laugh.

"I told you, I am anonymous. But Sharpay . . . tell me . . . is the front door locked?"

Sharpay went cold all over, and a shiver ran down her spine. The voice had lost the comical side to it, now it was just metallic and cold and deep. It was really scaring her. She didn't know what to do. But the voice went on,

"What about the back door? Or the balcony door? Windows? My sweet, I can be anywhere . . ."

It was too much. Sharpay dropped the phone, not bothering to hang up, and ran downstairs, grabbing her keys on the way.

She locked the front and back door, and then ran back upstairs to lock the balcony door.

Shivering, she sat back down on the sofa, turning on the TV. With a jolt, she remembered the other thing the man had said.

Windows.

Jumping up, she was about to check them, when a sharp rap was heard coming from the front door.

Sharpay tried to calm herself, but her heart was beating so fast and loud, it felt like it was pounding in her head. She began to feel dizzy.

_But what if it's the caller? Oh jeez, oh hell, what do I do?_ panicked Sharpay in her head.

"Shar! Open up, I've lost my keys!" yelled Ryan. _I shouldn't be such a scaredy-cat_, she thought, sighing in relief. Quickly, she unlocked the door and opened it.

A stream of people rushed in, Troy, Zeke, Gabriella, Jason and Martha. Ryan looked sheepishly at his sister.

"Sorry . . . I didn't mean to bring them home . . . I couldn't say no . . ."

"Ryan . . . you're a genius." smiled Sharpay, glad that she had company, taken aback, Ryan gave a sheepish smile. Sharpay wondered what was up with him and looking like a sheep today. Apparently, Kelsi, Taylor and Chad stayed at the party.

"But we're gonna have our own party!" Troy yelled, slurring his words a little, and everyone cheered. Sharpay suspected that they had a bit too much to drink, but it's not like East High would supply alcohol.

_What's happened to them_? Sharpay frowned. The phone started to ring, and Ryan grabbed it.

"Yuh? I think so . . . uh . . . who's this agun? You wunna speak to – gimmie a sec. SHAAAAAAAAAAR! It's for yooooooooooou! I think its Daaaaaaaaaaaaad!"

"Thank you and SHUT UP!" Sharpay shrilled, as she held the phone to her ear. "Hi Dad! When are you coming home?" said Sharpay, trying to make her voice sound cheerful.

"Well I'm not your father, but I can come to your house, if you want." came that cold, cold voice.

"Stop calling this number! Who the fuck _is_ this?" Sharpay shouted down the phone. The speaker gave a sigh.

"How many times do I have to tell you? Maybe we should just settle with Bob, to get you comfortable. You'll be hearing a lot more from me, honey."

Sharpay slammed the phone down on the receiver (**A.N. Is that what it's called?**) and hugged herself tightly. She found her cell and turned it off. These pranksters would stop soon, she was sure of it.

For the rest of the evening, she watched the others having loads of fun . . . while she kept an eye on the phone.

* * *

**What do you think? More or Bore?**

**Mzdarkstar x x x**


	2. Disappearances

**I am SO sorry for the gap! I written almost the whole story now though, so there should be any more.**

**Forgive me! (lol) Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: . . . is that a question? Because you already know the answer!**

* * *

"My head is pounding like a drum! Shar, make it stop!" moaned Ryan pathetically.

Ryan, Sharpay, Jason, Martha and Zeke were waiting outside the Evans' house for Troy and Gabriella, and they were taking awfully long.

_Probably making out_, Sharpay thought. "Well, what the hell did you have last night?" she questioned.

"Just a few drinks! I had it in my hand the whole time. Well, apart from when I asked Gabriella to dance."

"Hmm," frowned Sharpay. Before she had time to think, Troy and Gabriella reappeared, looking flushed and ruffled, but nevertheless ready, so they all set off for school.

"Hey Sharpay." came Gabriella's voice. Everyone was chatting contently to each other on the route to school.

"Hey Gabi," Sharpay smiled back, as they walked to school. "How are you? And what's more, how is Troy?"

"Oh . . ." Gabriella giggled a little, then sighed.

"I'm fine, Troy's . . . I don't know. When we're together . . . it's like he's not fully _with_ me, you know? Like he's got his mind on something else."

"Or some_one_ else," suggested Sharpay seriously, and Gabriella nodded.

"Excatly, and I think it's you."

"Me?" said Sharpay in surprise. "You don't seriously think-"

"Chill, Shar! It's just . . . maybe he hasn't let go of the past . . . anyway, I know you wouldn't betray me, I trust you." said Gabriella, with a short laugh.

"You didn't a few months ago!" laughed Sharpay. "Remember when we used to do awful things to each other just to get Troy? Hell, that was nuts!"

"I know! I used to tell you there were after school rehearsals so you would be out of the way, while I got Troy after Basketball practice! Thank God that's over."

"Yeah. It wasn't hard to tell he liked you better." Sharpay said, still smiling, but Gabriella's smile slid off her face.

"Sharpay, this is what I'm trying to say. He still likes you!"

"But he's with you, and that's the end of it." Sharpay said firmly. "I don't care anymore Gabi, it's been to long. I've moved on." Sharpay touched Gabriella's arm. "Listen. Boys are unfocused. Take Ryan as your example!" Gabriella giggled.

"Troy won't see how much he cares about you until he's close to losing you, so hold on to him." Gabriella nodded at Sharpay's words.

"Sorry, why are we going this way?" asked Martha, and they came to a fork in the path. "Shouldn't we go left?"

"Me and Shar always go right, and we've been walking this way for years." said Ryan. "We always get to school on time. You're welcome to go left if you want to though, we'll see who get to school on time."

"You're on! It's a race." said Martha excitedly, but Sharpay insisted to go with her.

"I can't just let you go on your own, even in broad daylight. It's nice to have company." She said.

"Thanks Sharpay." smiled Martha.

The journey to school was actually quite nice, Martha was a pleasant person to talk to, and they talked about all sorts of things.

They even talked about Sharpay's Anonymous caller, and Martha suggested that it could be a boy in the drama club. Sharpay doubted it.

They got to a point where there was an alleyway, so Sharpay and Martha did a mini-race in the race, to see who could get round the fastest.

Sharpay went through the alley, Martha went round the long way.

Of course, Sharpay got round first, so she waited for Martha to appear.

_She's taking her time,_ thought Sharpay, but continued to wait.

And wait.

Sharpay waited for _half an hour_.

**…HSM…**

"Ha! I told you we'd be first!" cheered Ryan in satisfaction. "But that doesn't explain why you're so late for class . . ."

"Shut up and listen," Sharpay told him and Kelsi. They were in the auditorium, at a rehearsal for a show. Sharpay felt lost, and not sure what to do.

"I can't find Martha. She went round and I went through the alley, and she . . . I mean, I waited for so long because I kept telling myself she'd come round the corner any minute, but then ten minutes went to twenty, which went to thirty, and I couldn't-"

"Calm down," Kelsi said soothingly, as Ryan went off, bored. "Did you look for her?"

"No . . ." Sharpay shivered. "I was scared of what I'd find. Kelsi . . . while you were at the party, someone called me."

Sharpay rested a shaking hand on her forhead. "I don't know who he is, but he knew things. Like . . . like how my house had a balcony. And now Martha's gone missing. Don't you think this is just a bit too weird?"

"Yeah . . . I'll tell you what. How about we look for her after school? I'm sure we'll find her. We'll meet by the alleyway, I know where it is."

"Okay . . ." Sharpay said doubtfully. "Hey, some guys we taking the piss out of Jason, what happened? I was late, remember?"

"Yeah, he was telling some cock and bull story of something that had happened to him, he's just nuts. Don't worry about him."

Sharpay frowned. It didn't sound like Jason to lie, whatever it was. "But what if he's telling the truth?"

"I doubt it." And with that, Kelsi left.

…**HSM…**

Sharpay walked to the school doors. Kelsi said to meet her there, because she had to go home first. Sharpay was so glad school was over, she needed to go home and relax.

As she walked outside, she saw Jason standing there, gazing at nothing in particular, so she went to talk to him. His bag was on the floor, as well as a jacket and some other things.

"Hey." She said. He looked up and smiled.

"Hi Sharpay. Come to hear me 'crazy' story?"

"No," frowned Sharpay, "But now you mention it, I wanted to know if you're okay."

"I know," he sighed. "I know that. Chad was the only one who actually listened you know. He thought it was weird, but he still listened instead of immediately marking me as nuts. You will understand."

"Huh? What do you mean?" Jason turned to face her seriously.

"He's not going to stop. And you can't run from him. He strikes out at you when you least expect it; sooner or later, everyone you like and love will slip away from you. Unless you stop him."

Sharpay put a hand on her neck as a choking feeling rose in her throat. "The . . . the caller? Anonymous?"

"Yeah," smiled Jason, "That's what the bastard likes to call himself. I call him APC; Anonymous Phone Caller. Although the Asshole Perverted Caller would suit better, even if it doesn't make grammatical sense."

"But why is he bothering me? What have I done?"

"Nothing, that's why. He wants to ruin your life. That's his job, his amusement." Jason looked around before suddenly getting his stuff together.

"I'd better go. It's not safe for us to be seen together. It's not safe for _you_." Ready to leave, he turned back to her.

"But one word of advise . . . pick up the phone. It's better than not picking it up, trust me." Jason started to walk away.

"Wait!" cried Sharpay. "Why are you telling me this? Is he after you too?"

"Yes," nodded Jason, "It's hard to run, or hide, or escape from him. But you can divert him for a while. That's the difference between me and everyone else on his list . . . I know how to do that. I can help you Sharpay, but not here or now. Give me time."

Before Sharpay could ask anther question, he was gone. She wanted to burst into tears. The one person who could help her had to leave.

And what about this list? What the hell was that? How many people were on it?

Sharpay miserably left to meet Kelsi, with more questions that before.

…**HSM…**

He sat down at the desk, and looked at the lone piece of paper that lay upon it.

Target List Number 3.8, was the title at the top. He looked at the last two names on the list.

_Maye Hyde . . . MENTALLY ILL_

_Evelyn Dicantios-Hyde . . . DEAD_

Smiling, he took a piece of plain paper from the desk drawer, and put Target List Number 3 away. Then, he started a new list. _This is going to be __very__ interesting indeed_, thought the man that Sharpay knew as APC.

* * *

_Target List Number 4.1_

_Target Status:_

_Jason Cross . . . LOCATION UNKNOWN_

_Sharpay Evans . . . TARGETED_

_Martha Cox . . . MISSING_

_Kelsi Nielsen . . . MISSING_

* * *

**What did you think? **

**This one gives you more detail on the Caller himself. Do you think you know who it is? ****Because if you do . . . you will most likely be wrong! LOL**

**Mzdarkstar x x x**


	3. On The Run

**I – am – SO – sorry for the delay, it's been MONTHS and I feel really, bad cause I know that some people did like this story! (sighs)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own it, and I am still, SO – SORRY!**

* * *

"Shar, are you okay?" asked Ryan in a concerned voice, as she came through the Evans' front door.

"Kelsi's gone." Sharpay said blankly. "She's gone, Ryan. Just like Martha." Ryan shook his head as if he didn't believe her.

"Don't be silly, she'll turn up." said Ryan reassuringly.

"No." said Sharpay sternly. "I planned to meet her yesterday, and she didn't turn up. Today she didn't come to school, and has disappeared just like Martha."

"Just chill, Shar! Look, Mom and Dad have gone to their work trip for a few days; we have the place to ourselves. And you have a visitor, by the way. He's in the living room."

Sharpay dumped her bag and went into the living room, where she caught sight of a boy with gorgeous hair . . . and eyes . . . and . . .

"Chad! I didn't realise you'd be . . . I mean, uh . . ." Sharpay shook her head, smiling, and Chad grinned. "Let me start again. How are you?"

"Pretty cool, provided I fell in a ditch after the party last night. But really . . . I'm here to find out if _you_ are okay."

Sharpay hung her head. She wanted to say 'no'. She wanted to tell him about APC, and how scared she was.

But Sharpay wasn't stupid. She'd told Martha and Kelsi, and now they were no longer around. That meant something, and it didn't take a genius to figure out what.

APC was kidnapping them.

Sharpay was supposed to suffer alone. No one would share her burdens or pain, because no one else would know.

"I'm fine, I've just had a weird day." lied Sharpay, giving him a false smile. He looked blankly at her.

"Okay, we'll try that again. Are you okay, Sharpay?"

"Look, I just . . . I can't say right now okay? I just need some time."

Chad slowly nodded as the doorbell rang. "I think you'd better get that."

"But I didn't invite anyone . . ." frowned Sharpay.

She answered the door; Troy, Gabriella and Zeke bounded in, laughing, and followed Sharpay upstairs onto the spacious landing as she asked;

"Who invited you guys?"

"A guy called and said you needed us; we thought it was your Dad." shrugged Zeke.

Walking to Ryan's bedroom door, she rapped on it twice, and he came out onto the landing.

"What are you guys doing here?" exclaimed Ryan. Sharpay sighed desperately.

"We don't quite know," said Gabriella slowly. "A guy called and said you needed us - but if you didn't invite us, who did and why?"

"I believe I can answer that question." came a voice, and everyone whipped around.

Kelsi stood defiantly from the top of the stairs, and in her hands was a revolver.

Everyone froze. What was she doing . . . with a _gun?_

On Kelsi's neck was a thick metal collar. It had two separate, see-through containers. The big one had luminous green liquid; the smaller one had bright red liquid.

Also, a speaker was on the collar, and from that speaker issued a voice.

"Hello Sharpay and friends. I hope you are feeling comfortable."

"No. _No!_" cried Sharpay. Everyone looked at her; they had no idea what was going on.

"Why won't you stop calling me? Leave me alone!"

"Sharpay, that's no way to talk to a stranger. Kelsi, however, is a friend of yours, I believe?"

"Bitch," spat Troy. "How could you do this, Kelsi?"

"You idiot!" sobbed Kelsi. "Do you think I want to? He'll kill me if I don't! I thought you could get this collar off me!"

"Tut tut," said APC, "None of that. Kelsi will do exactly as I say, or she will die. Very painfully, I might like to add. Now Kelsi, tell me exactly who is in that room."

'_My gosh'_, thought Sharpay, _'he can only hear us, not see us'_. Maybe we can sneak away!

She caught Chad's eye, and they nodded to each other; they'd had the same thought. So had Kelsi, ad the brave girl lied to save them.

"Oh . . . just Sharpay and Ryan." she said, urgently signalling for the others to leave.

"Then Ryan is the boy who spoke, I'm assuming. Is that all? I thought the others would come! Never mind. You and your brother will still suffer.

I am standing outside your house, Sharpay. If anyone leaves, Kelsi will die, and then you'll be next, so sit tight. And Kelsi goes outside, I will hear it; the speakers will emit fuzzy sounds due to the wind."

Very quietly, Ryan led Troy, Gabriella and Zeke onto the balcony in the master bedroom. From there, they could climb up to the rooftops. Chad stayed behind.

Sharpay couldn't talk, so she made wild motions to him. '_Go! Leave, Chad__!_' He shook his head, but Sharpay wouldn't let him stay. She pushed him into the Master Bedroom.

Ryan came back, and held her hand. She trembled.

"You asshole," yelled Ryan. "Who the fuck _are_ you?"

"Kelsi, shoot Ryan in the leg for his impertinence," aid APC in a bored voice. Kelsi shot at the wall, and Ryan gave a realistic scream of pain.

His acting techniques were coming in handy. No, they were _saving his life_.

"Good. Very good. Now, I want you to bring them downstairs and draw the curtains, so I can see what's going on."

Kelsi winced, and looked at them. If she did that, they couldn't communicate silently anymore.

"Do I have to?" she pleaded. Suddenly, they were clinking noises and the containers on Kelsi collar slid closer together. Then, a bit of the Red Liquid was released into the Green Liquid.

As the liquid reacted and fizzed up, they grew brighter, and the metal contracted, getting smaller so it choked the poor girl.

"Do you want to die?" snarled APC menacingly. "No one has ever seen my face. If I have to come in there, none of you will leave alive. _Do as I say! Do you want to die?!_"

At the same moment, Chad reappeared. '_Does that boy ever give up?'_ thought Sharpay with annoyance. But Chad had been smarter than all of them. He was holding a screwdriver.

He quickly began unscrewing the screws in Kelsi's collar, as she choked '_No_' to APC. Taking the collar away from Kelsi's neck, and chucking it down the stairs so he couldn't hear them, Chad hurried everyone to the balcony.

"Now the collar's off, Kelsi's safe. The fucker can't threaten us. We can escape, so let's go! Quick!"

…**HSM…**

Running. She had to if she wanted to survive. Gabriella was on the rooftop below; Sharpay could see her running too.

She didn't really know how they'd all got split up, but as soon as they heard the noises, they scattered. If was him, and they knew it.

It didn't matter whether they got back together, they just needed a safe place to go. He was right on a tail . . . but whose tail? No one dared to look back.

"Keep going, Shar! It's you he wants! C'mon, we just need to get to my house!" yelled Gabriella from the rooftop below.

Sharpay slowed down. She'd been running for ages. She was tired, cold, and scared.

"Shar, c'mon, keep going!" Gabriella also stopped running, and looked up at her. "Shar we have to keep moving, there's no – Shar – BEHIND YOU!"

Sharpay whipped round a second too late. A guy in black with his face covered wrapped his hands tightly around her eyes and mouth. _This is it_, she thought. _This is the end_.

"Let her go!" yelled Gabriella. She had no way to get to Sharpay; she was on the rooftop above Gabriella.

"You've been a difficult one, Sharpay," he spoke into her ear as she struggled fiercely against his strong arms. It wasn't APC, the voice was different. Huskier. He had associates!

"But don't worry; it'll all be over soon." And with that, he threw her over the edge.

It happened so fast, it was like it didn't happen at all.

Sharpay was falling. Down, down, and the lower rooftop was coming by. But she wasn't going to fall onto it. She was going to fall right past the spiked edge and cover the ground with her brain matter as she died.

Gabriella rushed to the edge and held her arms out. It was a miracle that she caught her, as Sharpay was falling so fast, Gabriella was pulled right forward, almost toppling over herself.

With an extremely pained face, Gabriella pulled her over, but she didn't turn around once Sharpay was safely over. She still wore that pained face, leaning over the edge.

"Gabriella, are you feeling . . ." Then Sharpay realised what was up. When Gabriella grabbed Sharpay, she had been pulled forward.

Onto the spikes that lined the edge of the balcony.

"My God . . . Gabi Gabi Gabi, no, don't do this to me . . ."

Very slowly, Gabriella pushed herself up off the spikes, but they had sunk deep into her stomach. She staggered toward the brown door that led into the building, but collapsed halfway there, in Sharpay's arms.

"Gabiella, stay with me, please . . ."

The brown door burst open, and Ryan, Kelsi and Troy rushed out, before stopping in their tracks.

"Gabi," whispered Troy "GABRIELLA!" He ran to her, just as Chad and Zeke appeared from another rooftop.

"Thank God we found you," panted Zeke, "You'll never guess what . . ."

He stopped when he caught sight of the edge of the rooftop, and the blood that covered the spikes. His eyes followed the bloody trail that led to Gabriella.

"Oh shit," murmured Chad. He instantly ripped the bottom of his shirt and tightly tied it around Gabriella's waist to stop the blood from flowing.

"Hang in there, Gabi," he said quietly. He turned to Sharpay, who was standing away from everyone, shaking, and hugged her.

"What does he want, Shar?" he whispered.

"I don't know, I don't know." She cried hugging him tightly as everyone stood, looking at the night sky, wondering when the nightmare would end.

* * *

_Target List Number 4.2_

_Target Status:_

_Jason Cross . . . LOCATION UNKNOWN_

_Sharpay Evans . . . DEAD(?)_

_Martha Cox . . . WEAK_

_Kelsi Nielsen . . . ESCAPED_

_Gabriella Montez . . . TARGETED / DEAD(?)_

_Troy Bolton . . .TRACED_

* * *

**That's C3. Hope you liked it, and if you did please review!**

**(Even though I don't deserve it; I took FOREVER updating this!)**

**Star x x x**


	4. A Traced Gun & Captain Clue

**In this chapter, things get a lot more serious, but they won't link up till the next one.**

**Enjoy, and please review!**

**Disclaimer: There are a few things I own in this story. One that I own, is the Story idea of pick Up The Phone. One that I don't, is the idea of High School Musical itself.**

* * *

"Troy, where did you get that gun?" asked Sharpay. Troy was so attached to his healthy life, God knows where he got it.

"Stole it from some guys as me and Ryan and Kelsi were running from. If this guys pops up . . . he gets four shots in the chest for Gabi."

He mimed shooting mercilessly, until Zeke sharply told him to put it away. He'd had enough violence for one night . . . they all had. Chad and Ryan were carrying Gabriella, and the whole crew was heading to Taylor's house.

There was no way Sharpay would let them take her to hospital; APC might get to her, alone and unconscious in an empty room . . .

It was dark, and there was no moon, making the sky pitch-black. The wind was very light, but its chill was enough to cause discomfort. No one talked much.

"Do you even know how to use it?" she asked, and Troy said that he'd 'figure it out'. '_Whatever_,' thought Sharpay, rolling her eyes.

Finally, they were there and Kelsi knocked on the door. Sharpay had no idea what she'd say if Mr or Mrs McKessie came to the door, but she was in luck; Taylor answered the door.

"Why are all of you – _Gabriella!_"

…**HSM…**

Taylor walked into the room, and locked the door. She was pale and completely shaken, not to mention furious.

"Somebody better explain what happened to her, _right now_."

"Then allow me," sighed Sharpay. "After Martha and Kelsi, I wouldn't have told, but the moment we got onto the rooftops back there, _all_ of us were being chased; now _all_ of us are in danger. You deserve to know what's going on."

And she didn't just say when happened to Gabriella, she told all of them everything she knew; the calls, Jason's information and advice, Martha and Kelsi's disappearance, and everything else in between leading up to that point.

Everyone listened silently and after she'd finished, she got a drink and there was a brief silence.

"I knew Jason was telling the truth; he wasn't the type to lie. I guess I know my friends." said Chad in a low voice, staring pointedly at Troy and Zeke, who bowed their heads.

"I need to talk to him. Now." said Sharpay urgently. "Jason will know what to do. But he's in hiding . . . but how can I reach him?"

"Email." shrugged Ryan. "Obviously he can't call, in case someone else had your phone . . ."

"Use the laptop on the desk," Taylor indicated the laptop in the corner of the living room. Sharpay quickly got down to business.

"He _has_ sent an email!" exclaimed Sharpay.

"C'mon, read it out then!" urged Zeke, his arm round a trembling Kelsi. Sharpay cleared her throat, and the teenagers tensed, waiting for the news, good or bad.

………………………………………………………………………………...

**From**: J.C.BasketballFanatic (gmail)

**To**: DramaqueenSharpay (hotmail)

**00:01, Today**

**Subject:** Captain Clue

Sharpay, I really hope you get this in time.

I'm in hiding. I know where to hide, but I can't stay in that place for more than a day, and I can't go to the same place twice or he'll find me.

I hope you've managed to keep out of his way. I know you think that if you tell the others, he'll get them like he got Martha and Kelsi, but it's better you tell them so they can hide too.

The truth is . . . they're doomed anyway. I'm sorry.

I have a clue for you, but in case someone else gets this message, my associate will give it to you.

Meet him by our 'artefact' at the Witches Time.

If you're not there tonight, he'll be there tomorrow. And if you don't show, the day after, and the day after. He'll wait for you for three days, and then he'll have to go, or APC will find him too.

Keep safe, and don't travel alone. Always have at least two other people with you.

I will meet you eventually; I just have to make sure it's safe to come out. Then we'll talk.

From

JC, the Basketball Fanatic.

P.S. The worst lies in the virgins' hand.

………………………………………………………………………………...

"The worst lies . . . _what?!_ I don't _get_ these clues!" cried Sharpay, and Taylor read them again.

"The 'artefact' . . . remember when East High won that artistic piece that symbolised Christianity, and we did a statue of Mary? It took us months. They put it in the square." Taylor scratched her head.

"So, I know where you have to meet . . . but not the time . . ." she said slowly.

"Wait, I read somewhere that The Witching Hour is the time between 12 and 1 o'clock at night. I think that's what he means!" exclaimed Kelsi.

"But what's with the clue at the end?" asked Troy. No-one knew what that could mean.

"Worry about that when you get there," Ryan responded with a wave of his hand. "It's 21:47 exactly. You have just over two hours, so if I were you I'd get some sleep."

Taylor gazed around the room. "_All_ of you should sleep here. It's not safe to leave the house, especially as he doesn't know where you are yet. I'm going to check on Gabriella." with that, she left.

Everyone looked at each other.

"We all know we won't be able to sleep tonight, so Kelsi, why don't you tell us you story?" said Chad, getting comfortable, and everyone nodded their heads in agreement. Kelsi winced, trembling against Zeke.

"There isn't much to tell. I went to the place me and Sharpay were supposed to meet. Before I know it, pain explodes in my head, and I wake up in a smelly, dark room." Kelsi took a breath.

"It was scary; there was no light, and the only other person in there was Martha. You were right, Sharpay. _He_ took her. She said she felt ill. I think he's poisoning her, or not feeding her properly."

"But _did you see his face_?" urged Sharpay, and to her dismay, Kelsi shook her head.

"Whenever _he_ came in the room, his entire body was covered, and the light from outside the room lit it up a bit. All I could see were bodies, Sharpay. They were dead bodies. It explained why the air stuck so much."

"My God," whispered Zeke, and he hugged her tighter, as her face crumpled.

"I don't know what _he's_ done to her . . . he put the collar on me, and cut the rope. Then he showed me what would happen if I disobeyed _him_, and the collar . . . But I don't know what his voice is like; it might not have been . . . _him_. It could have been an accomplice."

Sharpay opened her mouth to speak, when her cell phone rang. Everyone stared at it, scared. Sharpay gave them one, dark look, before picking it up.

"Hello?"

"Hello, sweetling." came that cold, icy voice. A wave of sheer terror swept through her, but Sharpay put the phone on loudspeaker and motioned for everyone to keep silent.

"I hope Kelsi is doing well, because Martha certainly isn't." he murmured, amusement in his metallic voice as always, and Kelsi stifled a sob as Troy went pale.

"Listen you fuckin' psycho," yelled Sharpay, "When I find you, your ass is gonna be SO busted!"

"That's where you're wrong. Even if you trace this call, you will never find me. You know that 'stranger' that Troy got that gun from?" APC chuckled. "I know Troy Bolton. He loves life too much; that's why he took it. You can't find me . . . but I can as sure as hell find you."

Sharpay looked at Troy, who was looking at the gun.

"Holy shit," whispered Chad. "Troy was tricked . . . the gun has a freaking trace on it!"

Before they knew it, Troy had raced out of the house. Sharpay cut off APC, (who was laughing in a maniac fashion) and ran after him.

"Troy, you can't go off on your own! What if he comes?" she called down the dark street to him, the streetlamp shining harshly on her.

"I have to get rid of this! I can't risk him finding out where we are!" he yelled back.

Suddenly he stopped by a blue car, throwing the gun as far as he could with his good arm, his basketball arm. It fell into the middle of the road.

"Shhhh, Troy, _quiet!_ We have to go back!" she hissed, pulling him back the way they came. When they had run back a little way, a loud noise stopped them in their tracks.

A blue car they had stood by was making a weird noise, beeping. They'd noticed it, but thought it was an alarm – but it had suddenly gotten louder . . . and just as Sharpay was about to investigate, it exploded.

Sharpay and Troy just stared; frozen with horror.

It was like a mini explosion; it didn't travel very far, but anyone near or around it would have been hurt badly.

What shocked them the most is that they were standing beside it seconds before it went off. That was not a coincidence.

"Now we _really_ have to go back!" she whimpered, looked at the destruction around it. Troy started to run back, but Sharpay paused, because she had seen something else.

A man, ginger-haired, stocky and well-built and tall, picked up the gun that was lying in the road. He looked around to see if anyone was watching . . .

And his gaze landed on her.

* * *

_Target List Number 4.3_

_Target Status:_

_Jason Cross . . . LOCATION UNKNOWN_

_Sharpay Evans . . . TARGETED!_

_Martha Cox . . . WEAK_

_Kelsi Nielsen . . . ESCAPED_

_Gabriella Montez . . . INJURED_

_Troy Bolton . . . LOCATION UNKNOWN_

* * *

**What did you think? Please review and let me know!**

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	5. A Stranger's Helping Hand

**Disclaimer: I don't not own it. I do not mind not owning it. I**** do not wish that I don't not mind not owning it.**

**Enjoy the next chapter in this epic tale . . .**

* * *

"Hey, where are you going?" Chad asked, sleepy. Everyone else was either sleeping or almost asleep; they had forced themselves to stay awake for too long.

"It's ten minutes to Midnight, I have to meet Jason's messenger." said Sharpay briskly, as she wrapped a silver scarf round her neck.

"On your own? Are you _insane_?" whispered Chad, now fully awake. He got off Taylor's couch, and picked his way over the sleeping bodies to the living room doorway.

"What if that guy's there? The one you and Troy saw?"

"He might not have anything to do with APC. He could have just wanted the gun." said Sharpay shortly. Chad grabbed her shoulders.

"After all that's happened, I can't believe you're saying that. I'm going with you." And he started shoving one trainer on his foot.

"Chad-"

"Don't say anything." said Chad, placing a finger over her lips. "It'll be fine."

He crept upstairs to Taylor's room, and came back with a set of keys.

"Let's roll."

**…HSM…**

Chad and Sharpay stood by the Mary statue, waiting. One o'clock came and went, but Sharpay insisted to stay there.

"Sharpay, we can't stay here! Jason said he'll find us if we do!" hissed Chad.

"What do you think that clue meant?" she asked suddenly, and Chad looked questioningly at her. "_The worst lies in the virgins' hand._" She quoted.

"I have absolutely no-" he stopped, staring at the statue.

"The worst . . . the _Virgin_ . . ." he muttered.

"What the hell are you on about?" Sharpay raised an eyebrow.

"Don't you get it? _Virgin Mary_! If the worst comes to the worst, like if we miss the guy we're supposed to meet, a clue will be in her hand!" Chad yelped, and they ran to the statue and looked in her open hand.

Nothing. So they went round to the other side and looked in her clenched fist, her left hand, and rustling in the wind was a piece of paper.

It was pushed in so tightly; it was a miracle Chad prised it out without ripping it in two . . . Sharpay wanted to read it straight away, but Chad said they should get to Taylor's house.

**…HSM…**

"Wake up! Get up you lazy asses! I went to the statue!" Sharpay shouted. Troy mumbled and Kelsi stirred, but no-one got up.

"For fuck's sake," glowered Sharpay, folding her arms and looked seriously pissed.

"Hey, hey, what's all this?" moaned Taylor. She had come down from upstairs because she'd heard Sharpay; she was obviously a light sleeper.

"My parents are sleeping, you know, and in case you've forgotten, they don't know you're here!"

"Can you wake them up then?" said Sharpay, and Taylor got water to splash on their face.

…**HSM…**

"Hey, Missy! How're you feeling?" said Sharpay softly. Gabriella smiled. She was sitting up in the bed, bandages wrapped tightly around her stomach.

"Like death, to be honest." Gabriella gave a weak smile. "What's happened since I got sliced?"

Sharpay told her about the exploding car, the email, and the letter in Virgin Mary's hand.

"But we still have to be real quiet in the house; Taylor's parents don't know we're here." said Sharpay quietly. "Yet." she buried her face in her hands. "And soon, our own parents will report us missing."

"Yeah, I know, but what about the _letter_? C'mon, spill, I'm dying to know what it says!"

"Okay, okay." Said Sharpay, and Gabriella grinned and sat up a little straighter.

**………………………………………………………………………………**

To whom it may concern,

If you are reading this letter, I am most probably dead. He must have got to me if I haven't removed this letter, and I couldn't take any chances.

This is the critical point. It is the worst part. People have already gone missing, and they most likely won't return.

Don't think about finding him. The police can't do anything; he will just kill or abduct anyone you tell. You have to concentrate on keeping yourself safe.

1. Don't go anywhere alone.

2. Keep a weapon close to hand at all times.

3. Pick up the phone.

You have to stay alive. Don't let him get you.

All I can't give you that might help is this clue:

Ellarae Dicantios-Hyde.

From A. L.

**………………………………………………………………………………...**

"Well," sighed Sharpay, "That was a lot of help, wasn't it? I mean, I'm sorry for the poor guy if he got taken, but we're still alive and i would like it to stay that way . . ."

"Wait. I _know_ that name!"

"You do?" said Sharpay in a hushed voice, as Gabriella frowned.

"Yeah, it was a woman who lived by herself, she was an actor. I don't know the full story, but I know she died quite painfully; her sister found her body, it was mutilated."

"Mutey what?"

"It was sliced and bruised so much, you couldn't hardly tell it was her. Blood, guts and bones everywhere. The murderer must have had no mercy, it was terrible."

"That . . . is . . . SICK." said Sharpay, horror-struck. Gabriella nodded gravely and went on,

"Yes, and the funniest thing about it was . . . before . . . before she was . . . was killed . . ."

"Are you alright Gabi? Why are you breathing like that?" Sharpay started to panic as Gabriella's wheezes became more frequent, and soon she couldn't breathe properly.

"Sharpay . . . Maye Dicantios . . . you have to talk to . . . she'll tell you . . ."

Sharpay had already left the room to go and get Taylor, and when she got back Gabriella had collapsed against the pillows.

**…HSM…**

"She is very weak." Taylor told them, when she reappeared. "She had already lost a lot of blood by the time you got here with her. We can only pray she'll hang on in there."

"This shit is pissing me off," cursed Troy. "I'd really like to know who this guy is and why he's doing this to us."

"You're not the only one," muttered Zeke.

"I want to know what he's doing to Martha." added Kelsi quietly. Sharpay cleared her throat.

"Gabriella said I needed to talk to Maye Dicantios. Who the hell is that?"

"Isn't that the sister of the woman who was killed?" said Taylor. No one else knew who she was.

"I have to see her." decided Sharpay. "I don't know when and I don't know why. But the name 'Dicantios' keeps popping up and I want to know what it has to do with me."

Chad nodded. "I'm going with you then."

"And me." added Ryan. "Troy needs to look after Kelsi, and Taylor needs to look after Gabriella, so Troy can come too."

"I'd rather stay to look after Gabi, but fine, I'll tag along," moaned Troy. "I don't even know where we're going."

"We're getting to the bottom of this . . . together." Chad said, and everyone bowed their heads like it was a pledge, a vow.

They were in this too deep to back out now.

Sharpay nodded back at them and smiled. It was the only thing she could do to stop herself from crying.

* * *

_Target List Number 4.4_

_Target Status:_

_Jason Cross . . . TARGETED_

_Sharpay Evans . . . LOCATION UNKOWN_

_Martha Cox . . . DYING_

_Kelsi Nielsen . . . LOCATION UNKNOWN_

_Gabriella Montez . . . DEAD / DYING (?)_

_Troy Bolton . . . LOCATION UNKNOWN_

* * *

**That's C5. Is it all ****too much for you . . . or could you handle a Chapter 6?**

**Leave a review, and seal your fate . . . LOL**

**Star x x x**


	6. Maye

**I'm so sorry for the delays in this story, guys. it's so hard to get the chapters up, with exams and everything, but I WILL finish this story. Even if nobody has stuck around for the ending, LOL.**

**This is P.U.T.P. ****Chapter 6.**

**Brace yourselves.**

* * *

There it was; Albuquerque Asylum.

Grey walls, grey roof, everything was grey. It made you feel depressed just to look at the place.

Sharpay, Chad, Ryan and Troy stood, staring. No one really wanted to go inside.

"It's pretty yuck, ain't it?" came a voice. The crew whipped around.

Someone stood behind them, in a thick, long, dark coat, with the hood up. The voice was male but you couldn't see his face. Was it a boy or a man?

Sharpay was wondering whether they should trust him, when he said something vital.

"Be quick, if you want to see Maye. She's inside, waiting for you, but he's waiting for you too." The crew didn't move. Should they trust him?

The male person let their hood slip back a little, and winked at them.

It was Jason!

…**HSM…**

"Go straight in, Mr Dicantios, she's expecting you . . ." the nurse frowned at the large group of teenagers.

"It took me two weeks to make them believe I was a distant relative of Maye. Clever, aren't I?" muttered Jason with a smile.

"But not all of you. You may take one guest inside, but the others must wait, I'm afraid." Jason nodded, and they set of down the maze of corridors as Jason talked to them.

"This whole thing must be so terrifying for you. Trust me, I know how it feels. I hope Kelsi and Gabriella are okay."

"Dude, you have, like, SO much explaining to do!" complained Troy, and Jason said wistfully,

"I know, I'm sorry. Did you talk to Alex?"

"The guy who was supposed to meet us? No, but we found a letter. He said that if we found the letter . . . he's dead." Sharpay explained.

Jason stopped in the middle of the corridor. "Did . . . did he really write that?"

"I have the letter here." Said Sharpay, and Jason scanned it, before handing it back, and continuing down the maze of corridors.

"APC got him at last . . ." he mumbled sadly.

"At last? What do you mean?" worried Sharpay, hurrying to keep up.

"I'll explain later. Maybe Maye can explain it for you." Jason said, and finally they got to the right door.

Chad, Troy and Zeke waited outside and Sharpay and Jason entered.

**…HSM…**

"Thank you." The woman cried and hugged Jason tightly. "Thank you for coming back." She turned to Sharpay and introduced herself as Maye Dicantios.

She must have been in her twenties; she was young, and quite pretty, with blonde hair that had amber streaks in it, and deep, brown eyes. But she also had lines on her face, like time was wearing her away.

"Aren't you a pretty one?" she added, smiling, and Sharpay smiled back, as she returned the compliment.

"So are you!"

"Ha!" laughed Maye. "If you think I'm pretty, you should have seen my sister. El was beautiful." Maye sighed, but then her face brightened.

"Have you heard from Alex, Jason?" she asked, her face hopeful and cheerful. Jason gave Sharpay one look, and Sharpay felt awful as she handed over his letter.

"What's this for?" Maye began to read. Her face suddenly hardened, like it had turned to stone. Her mouth slowly fell open.

"No."

"Maye-" Jason began.

"No, I don't believe it. He's not dead. He just forgot to remove the letter. He's fine, I'm sure of it."

"Maye, listen-"

"No, you listen." Maye said sharply, "Just because he didn't turn up doesn't mean he's _dead_. God! Not everything goes exactly how it's supposed to."

"Exactly." said Jason softly. "Maye. I'm so sorry, I am, but Alex is de-"

"Shut up, _shut up_, I won't listen to your _lies_!" she cried, as she slid to the floor, sobbing. Sharpay and Jason kneeled on the floor.

"Did you know him?" asked Sharpay softly. Maye choked.

"Know him? He was my _fiancé_!"

"My . . . god . . ." whispered Sharpay.

"Listen. Listen to me Sharpay. And you Jason. I should tell you . . . everything that's happened to me. I never want my story to be forgotten."

Maye cursed. "With APC, you tell one person, they get killed. But if we told masses of people . . . what will he do then? Commit mass murders? Make a bomb?"

She took out a book from under her mattress. "This is the last time I will tell my story, so it needs to be told properly. Beginning to end." Maye took a breath and began to read.

**………………………………………………………………………………...**

I came from a rich family. The Dicantios' were respected, not because of our family line, but because we earned it.

My sister, Ellarae, was an actor, a star.

I always second best, but I didn't care because I loved her, and didn't mind helping her get to the top. We were best-friends, closer than anyone else in the family.

So anyway, she was always getting fan mail and such, and those who had weeded out her number from others had called her.

At the time, she was seeing a guy called Julian Hyde. He was hot stuff, seriously. She loved him to bits.

Over time, he became more important than me, and she stopped telling her sister important things. It hurt, but after that I found Alex, Alex Lynch his name is. Me and El just . . . drifted apart.

I was told (by Julian) Ellarae started getting these phone calls from a guy with a creepy, voice, sort of metallic and icy.

I was told this three weeks after the calls had started and by that time many things had happened . . .

Our father had gone missing, without a trace. Nobody knows where he went, and suicide was even suggested but I wouldn't believe it.

Then, our mother slit her wrists in the bathroom. Or so they said. The doctor guy said she couldn't have done it herself if the slits were at that angle. Someone else must have done it.

This was too much to take in. I stopped sleeping. I stayed with Alex a lot, but one night Julian said he had something to tell me, which is when I was finally told about APC. The Anonymous Phone Caller.

So I went to talk to Ellarae. She needed comfort, someone to talk to. She told me that the director for her new film had also gone missing, as well as a crewman.

And also, one time Julian and Ella were mucking around in the sauna or something, and things got a bit saucy, and somehow it ended up all over the Internet. But they'd made sure no-one was around . . .

Weird, I know.

So of course, I said we had to tell the police, and two of them came on the case, Officer Anthony Hoppers and Officer Shanice Manning.

Shanice Manning was found in her home, beheaded, two days after she took the case. Another Officer replaced her, but he went "missing", along with Anthony soon after.

Then Julian died, and that _really_ shook Ella. He was floating dead in a bathtub full of scalding hot water, coal and ash, his body all burnt.

Ella refused to let me see her after that. She told me to leave town with Alex, and start afresh, but I couldn't leave her.

She was my sister, the only person left that I loved, apart from Alex.

From the time our father died, which was a while ago, she was always with someone. The first night she was on her own, she died.

I will never stop feeling guilty for leaving her; I said I wouldn't . . . but I did.

I don't know who killed her, maybe APC himself. Her body had been burned, and cut, and severed so much, you could hardly tell it was her.

It was then me and Alex found our saviour. He'd been in hiding, changing his birth name, Jason Cross, to Jamie Caraway, to Jonathan Casey, and back again.

It was because of him, we escaped, but I was determined to avenge my sister.

I tried to seek help from the law, but no one believed me, and I was thrown into Albuquerque Asylum, the local Psychiatric Hospital, the Mental Health Centre.

It's all the same thing. A hellhole. Alex tried to get me out, while trying to find out who this guy is and who his next target is.

We've worked with Jason for a while, helping a teenage actor called Sharpay Evans, but I just hope we've done enough. I can't understand why He's turned from hunting female adults to teenagers.

He's _sick_.

I remember, after Ella's death, APC called me for the first, and hopefully last time. He said, and I quote;

"Hello Maye. I know you've heard of me, so lets skip the 'who are you and why are you calling part', shall we.

Ellarae was my target. Now she is dead, I know longer need to kill you, so I want you to know that you and your lover have been given another chance.

However, if you interfere with my plans, I will have you killed.

Sleep well Maye."

If more will die, how many has he already killed?

_[Maye writes in one last note:]_

Now Alex has been killed. Dead at last. I hope his death wasn't painful.

I haven't really got much else to live for. Everything has been taken away from me.

**………………………………………………………………………………...**

"Sharpay, go to my house, the old Dicantios house," said Maye, shaking in a ball on the floor. "I'm sure Ella kept something to do with APC in her room. A disk or documents. _Something_."

Sharpay was shaking herself, hardly listening. She was standing up, facing away from Maye as Jason remained crouching.

"Take this . . ." she said to Jason quietly, giving him the story of her life. "Make as many copies as you can, and you know who to give them to after that. Just try."

Jason nodded, and Sharpay breathed deeply. She couldn't believe how horrifying Maye's story was, and Sharpay's story had just begun.

"It should be easy getting into the house. It has bad history; no one bought the house after Ellarae died. Look in her room, in the safe. The password's Julian."

Sharpay turned back round to face her, horrified. "I can't do this," she whispered. Maye shook her head.

"I'm sorry, Sharpay. But if you want to live . . . you have no choice."

At that moment a nurse entered. "I'm afraid your time in up, Mr Dicantios, Miss Dicantios must be taken to a Confinement room."

Jason slowly nodded. He quickly squeezed Maye's shoulder, and he exited with Sharpay.

"Don't forget what I told you . . . ." she called quietly as they left.

"What happened? What did she say?" pressed Chad, and Zeke and Troy listened eagerly.

"We're in the deepest shit on Earth." sighed Sharpay, her face grave.

* * *

**Spooky . . . or not. Hope you liked it, please review!**

**Star x x x**


	7. Don't hide: RUN

**Truth, survival, a grave injury and for the first time, a fatal injury. Yes, a death, in the flesh. (But it's not gory. Yet. Wait a couple of chapters . . .)**

**Star presents to you . . . PICK UP THE PHONE, CHAPTER 7 . . .**

**Disclaimer: Don't own it. No lie.**

* * *

Sharpay walked fast. It was still daylight, they'd only been to see Maye a few hours ago.

Jason had gone the moment they'd left the asylum, but he said he'd see them again soon.

"We have to go to my house. It might be the last time we'll be able to," she said firmly to the boys.

"Shar, what if he's broken in and put a bomb, or a camera or something?" said Ryan worriedly.

"That's a risk I'm willing to take." said Sharpay firmly. "If you're not, go back to Taylor's house, before he finds that too. Anyway, Maye didn't tell us where the house is, I'll have to look it up."

They got to the Evans' residence, and raced in. Sharpay researched the location of the house, and Ryan put some stuff in a rucksack that they might need, including a notebook and pen that Sharpay told him to chuck in.

Chad and Troy searched the place, to make sure it was safe. The window to the balcony was still open from the night they escaped, so they shut it. The Evans' obviously hadn't been back.

Then, they left, and set off for Taylor's house.

…**HSM…**

"Ah." said Mr McKessie. "You'd better come in."

Sharpay didn't like the way he said that, and went to find Taylor immediately.

"I tried Sharpay, I'm sorry. But how can I hide Troy, Zeke, and Kelsi walking around our house, as well as Gabriella's injured body?"

"So, what did you say?" Sharpay, worried. Taylor sighed.

"I told my parents everything." Sharpay cursed loudly and glared at Taylor.

"Don't worry, honestly!" reassured Taylor. "They can work from home, they don't have to eave the house often -"

"Stop." said Sharpay. "It doesn't matter." She thought of Maye's story, and her eyes started to water.

"Whether they know or not . . . they will still be targeted if they have something to do with me . . ." a tear ran down Sharpay cheek.

"That's why I'm going to the Dicantios' house. I have to get to the bottom of this." Sharpay went to find the others, to let them know.

They listened as Sharpay spoke, and everyone felt like this task was a last mission. "Guys . . ." Sharpay swallowed.

"I don't know how this whole thing will end up . . . but if you have special people – parents, sibling, friends . . . say goodbye. While you still have to chance."

…**HSM…**

"Is everyone ready?" murmured Ryan to Sharpay, Chad, Troy and Zeke. Kelsi and Gabriella were too weak to come, and Taylor was looking after them with her parents.

They all nodded, and entered the Dicantios house.

No-one had bought the house; it still legally belonged to Maye . . . as long as she got out of there healthy, and more importantly, alive.

They split up, and searched the place. Sharpay remembered what Maye had said, and headed for the bedroom.

She looked behind the painting of their once perfect family, and put the pass for the safe; Julian, like Maye said.

The safe swung open. It only contained a diary.

Sharpay didn't even have to read it all. On the front, Ellarae had written in capital letters;

_NO ONE EVER FINDS APC. EVER. NO ONE KNOWS WHO HE IS. HE NEVER DOES HIS DIRTY WORK, UNTIL IT'S TIME FOR YOU TO ACTUALLY DIE, AND HE LEAVES NO TRACES. YOU HAVE TO WAIT FOR YOUR TIME TO DIE . . . KATY-ROSE ROBERTS, GEORGINA FLORIDA, AND NOW ME. ELLARAE DICANTIOS._

"And Sharpay Evans after that . . ." Sharpay almost dropped the book in shock. "There's no point in reading all of it." She told the empty bedroom. "Everything I need to know is in the front of this book – and once again, I found out _nothing_."

"No . . ." Sharpay whispered. "I can't do this anymore." she made herself read the last section before the first diary entry.

_I'M ALONE IN MY HOUSE. I CAN'T TAKE LIFE ANYMORE; JULIAN'S DEAD. THE ONLY PERSON I HAVE LEFT TO PROTECT IS MAYE. ALEX TOO. BUT I CAN'T DO THAT ANYMORE._

_BECAUSE I'M ALONE IN MY HOUSE AND HE'S COMING TO KILL ME . . ._

Suddenly, Sharpay's cell started to ring, scaring the shiit out of her. "Leave me alone!" she cried angrily into the phone. She could almost hear APC smile.

"Why do you insist on digging up the past, Sharpay Sweetling? It just brings more trouble . . ."

Right on cue, there was a creek from upstairs, like somebody was up there . . .

Sharpay ran to the landing, and looked down at everyone standing in between the stairs and the door; Troy, Ryan, Chad, Zeke.

"We have to leave. Now!" she ran down the stairs, but before she even got halfway, there was a gunshot from upstairs, so everyone scattered, panicking . . .

"Zeke! You got out!" Chad shouted to him, running across the lawn.

"Yeah, by the mercy of God." he panted.

"You guys, let's get out of here!" said Troy loudly.

"No, wait!" yelled Chad, and they all froze. "If we're out here . . . where's Sharpay wand Ryan?"

They all looked slowly at the house, and said in unison,

"Oh _shit!_"

…**HSM…**

Sharpay peeked round the corner and down the stairs, terrified. Ryan was at the bottom of the stairs.

A guy with brown hair, grey eyes and a thin face stood on the top step, pointing the gun straight at him. Was this APC?

They were waiting for Sharpay.

"I'm not gonna let him hurt my brother." she told herself fiercely, and threw herself at him.

"Sharpay!" Ryan yelled, as they wrestled with the gun. Sharpay was strong, but the intruder was a lot stronger . . .

The Brunette guy grabbed Sharpay's hair, and smashed her head into the glass cabinet with the Trophies in it. Glass went everywhere. Sharpay only saw stars as she cried out in pain.

"Enough of this." came the Brunette's weak but eerie voice. "Girl . . . I'm sorry. But if I don't follow orders, my death will be more painful then his."

_HIS?!_ Sharpay scrambled up just in time to see the Brunette point the gun at Ryan . . . and see Chad and Zeke come back in though the front door . . .

. . . and shoot Ryan just to the left of his heart.

"RYAN!" she screamed.

In her rage she grabbed the nearest Trophy to hand and whacked Brunette round the head . . . he tumbled right down the stairs, and lay still at the bottom.

Sharpay jumped over his body and ran to Ryan.

"Sh . . . Sharp . . ." Ryan choked.

Zeke said quietly, "Troy went to a payphone to call the police, but I'll call him and say to get a ambulance too . . . he said he would go to Taylor's after . . ."

"Ryan, save your strength!" she said softly.

"Shut up, you," he said jokily, "I might not get . . . another chance . . . to say this . . ." Ryan coughed, and the sounds of sirens in the background grew louder.

The Cops were coming! Already?!

"You're the best sister I've ever had . . . I've found you annoying in the past, but . . . I will always love you . . . I'm sorry for everything . . ."

The ambulance was coming too . . . Troy had thought of everything.

"No, Ryan don't, don't say that!" Sharpay whispered, tears pouring rapidly down her cheeks.

"Ryan, we need to get you to the ambulance," Chad said urgently, and Sharpay helped him carry Ryan there. Chad glanced at her, "After this, we need to disappear too." She stood up, numb.

"Oh really?" came a husky voice. It was the guy with Ginger hair, the one Sharpay saw pick up the gun and throw her of the rooftops!

"Sharpay!" Zeke yelled, running in front of her, "Get do-"

The gun fired.

Everything seemed to go in slow motion. Zeke's eyes went wide, as his body crumpled to the floor, as the ginger guy grabbed his accomplice and left . . .

Sharpay felt like a metal band was curling round her chest as she left Ryan with Chad and rushed to Zeke. She couldn't breathe. This couldn't be happening.

"Zeke? Zeke! Talk to me!"

"I'm . . . s-sorry . . . I c-couldn't . . . "

"Couldn't what?" Sharpay asked him, shaking him. "Zeke! You have to stay with me!"

"Tell Kelsi . . . I . . . lo -" Zeke struggled as he tried to get the words out, and he finally went still.

Sharpay felt her eyes well up with tears. "Tell her what? Zeke? Zeke, c'mon, you can make it. Stay alive . . . please . . ."

Sharpay sobbed as her world crashed and burned around her.

While this was going on, the police had come in and shot the Ginger guy in the leg to stop him doing any more damage. They took both of the men to the police car, and Zeke and Ryan to the ambulance.

Chad and Sharpay said nothing. They didn't need the paramedics to tell them Zeke was dead, because they already knew it.

Not to mention that they was no way they could sneak off with Ryan either. If APC got him in the hospital . . .

Without a word, they silently left the scene and headed for Taylor's house. There was no more to be said.

…**HSM…**

APC was angry. He was freaking furious.

They had killed some random boy, fine, but instead of bringing Sharpay's brother to him to be used for blackmail, they'd shot him.

Bastards.

APC wondered about killing the two failures, finding new hit men, when he discovered from his two other associates that they'd already been caught by the police. Son of a bitch!

So the four horsemen of the apocalypse becomes two. Killing the assholes was an easy way out for them, and why torture them when he was saving _those_ resources for Sharpay?

He was seething. But at least something has gone right . . .

His scowl slowly melting into an evil grin, he pulled up Target List Number 3.8, and used it to make 3.9. He'd _told_ Maye that if she didn't interfere, he'd spare her. He _told_ her!

Foolish girl. She disobeyed. She died.

* * *

_Target List Number 3.9_

_Target Status:_

_Evelyn Dicantios-Hyde . . . DEAD_

_Maye Hyde . . . DEAD_

* * *

Well, the 3rd Target lists were finished. Moving on to 4th . . .

Sitting at his laptop, he printed off Target List Number 4.4, an opened a new document, titled Target List Number 4.5. He made changes.

But he didn't know the name of the brother, or the surname of the boy who'd died . . . never mind. He would find that out later . . . along with the names of the other people Sharpay was hiding with.

The black girl. The boy with the wild hair. Soon, they would be on the hit list.

* * *

_Target List Number 4.5_

_Target Status:_

_Jason Cross . . . LOCATION UNKOWN_

_Sharpay Evans . . . LOCATION UNKOWN_

_Martha Cox . . . DYING_

_Kelsi Nielsen . . . LOCATION UNKNOWN_

_Gabriella Montez . . . DEAD / DYING (?)_

_Troy Bolton . . . LOCATION UNKNOWN_

_Zeke (surname unknown) . . . DEAD_

_(First Name unknown) Evans . . . DYING_

* * *

**Yes, APC know****s about Chad and Taylor now! The question is, will he find out who they are . . . hope you liked that! Even though you're probably furious about Zeke . . . *sighs***

**Star x x x**


	8. The TRUTH is hard to handle

**NOTE: I think the previous chapter (7) mislead a few people. Just to clarify: Zeke IS dead. Ryan ISN'T, he's in hospital.**

* * *

**Are you ready for the next part of PUTP, otherwise known as Pick Up The Phone? What awaits you as the reader? What awaits Sharpay as the victim? More death . . . or a way out?**

**Disclaimer:**** I only own APC . . . and others . . . APC is my puppet . . . Heh heh . . .**

* * *

No one could sleep.

Screams and the horrific sight of gushing blood haunted all of them, as well of the pained face of Ryan, and the dying face of Zeke.

Sharpay knew that this was it. It was the end. Because of her, her brother was almost killed, and the person who had done no harm was harmed the most. Zeke had been _killed_.

Because of her.

The truth was so horrible she kept choking on her own tears. Chad would sit with her, holding her tightly, and everyone else, spread over the floor of the McKessie house, stayed silent, shocked, mourning.

Kelsi had locked herself in the bathroom, needing space, but she soon returned. Sharpay made it absolutely clear that anyone who left the house was as good as dead, so they had to keep a low profile. Always.

But Sharpay herself knew she couldn't stay. Soon she would have to leave them, because they'd be safer. She could never come back to this.

And to think; about a week, two weeks ago the only problem on her mind was making real friends. Doing good in School. Keeping her hair silky and beautiful.

Now, somebody was dead. Dead.

Sharpay dumped the rucksack Ryan had on him when he was shot, and then did the only thing she could think to do; check her email for news from Jason. Any news at all. She needed _something_ . . .

There were two. The subject of the first one was 'THE TRUTH' the second one was 'Details'. She really wanted to slick on the second instead of the first, but it might not make sense if she read the emails in that order.

So she clicked on 'THE TRUTH'.

**………………………………………………………………………………...**

**From**: J..com

**To**: Dramaqueen_

**01:52, Today**

**Subject:** THE TRUTH

Sharpay.

I hope you are alive.

Because Maye is dead.

J.C.

**………………………………………………………………………………...**

Sharpay screamed, a long piercing shriek, shocking Troy, Cad, Kelsi, and Taylor out of their skin.

Taylor told her to shut up, Kelsi broke down and cried and Troy even threw water on her but she kept screaming. She couldn't stop.

It was when Chad held her close and stroked her hair, that she broke down, and cried and cried, as the other read the message, and felt chilled to the bone. She didn't know if she could handle more of this. Where did she go from here?

Now, even Maye was gone. "How did this happen . . . ?" choked Kelsi, who was being held by Troy, Taylor in his other arm.

"I'll tell you how . . ." Sharpay said, so quietly they almost missed it. It was freaking them out. "APC's done the damage. Now he's sweeping up the mess. When he's done, no one will be left."

Without a word, they silently left the scene and headed for Taylor's house. There was no more to be said.

…**HSM…**

"Gabby?" Sharpay said quietly, peeking into Gabriella's room. She was propped up, reading a book about science. She was looking a lot healthier and cheerier. "How're you doin'?"

"I feel better than before, definitely." she grinned, Sharpay hugged her before she sat on the end of the bed.

"Who was screaming earlier?" Gabriella asked anxiously, and Sharpay bit her lip.

"Me."

"Why?" was the surprised reply.

Sharpay let out a shaky breath, starting to tremble so slightly, but Gabriella immediately said, "What's the bad news?"

"Gabby . . . you really don't want to know this . . ."

"Yes I do." she said firmly, tucking a stray strand of smooth brown hair behind her ear. "We're all in this together. We all run the risk of dying. So I need to know where we stand."

Sharpay knew she was right. She could help but think, '_Yeah, you run that risk because of me,_' but told Gabriella the truth.

"Maye is dead."

Gabriella breathed out harshly. Sharpay was scared she couldn't handle it, but Gabriella let out a weak smile. "Didn't see that coming." she muttered. "My God . . ." She'd been told everything that had happened when they weren't around, but they hadn't been able to tell her the most recent events.

"There's more . . ." Sharpay's voice was already breaking, and she dropped her gaze as Gabriella squeezed her hand.

"Tell me, Sharpay. I have to know."

Gabriella wiped a tea away from Sharpay's face, and the blonde girl managed to stutter out, "R-r-ryan's been s-s-shot, and w-w-we don't know if he'll m-m-make it, and . . . She swallowed hard. The worst part. "And Z-z-zeke is . . . d-d-d . . ."

"Sharpay . . ." Gabriella said with dawning dread, "Sharpay, no. Don't tell me . . ."

"He's dead, Gabi! Zeke is _dead!_"

As Sharpay broke down, Gabriella was completely silent. She felt the blow harder than any of them.

She'd wake up. Someone was kidnapped. She'd worry and go back to sleep. She'd wake up. Somebody was hurt or something. Sleep, wake again. This time someone had escaped an exploding car. _That_ was scary. She worried, and went to sleep.

She'd woken up a few minutes ago. She's feeling better than ever. Ryan's feeling worse than ever. Zeke's dead. And it all happened while she was stuck in this bed, with holes in her stomach. Gabriella felt cold all over. Useless.

"Say something . . ." Sharpay whispered, clutching at Gabriella.

"Thank you . . . for telling me . . ." Gabriella said slowly. "But I . . . really just want to be on my own right now."

Sharpay nodded rapidly. "I understand." and left the room with two thoughts in her head. The first one was, '_This is all my fault_.' The second; '_I didn't read the second email from Jason, The '_Details_'! _'

Then she realised; she didn't even want to _know_ what was in the second email.

**…HSM…**

The cops could only reach them on Sharpay's cell, because none of them stayed at home, and they didn't tell the police where they were, or APC would find out too.

They had to go in, and give statements and all the legal crap, but Sharpay couldn't. She really couldn't, because they also had to talk to the Ginger Guy and the Brunette Dude.

Chad promised he'd be right beside her, holding her hand the whole way, and that was the only reason she went. Troy and Kelsi went with them too.

And she felt bad; leaving her friends to deal with the legal stuff, making infinite lies to cover them, while she just spaced out, but she couldn't concentrate, gripping onto the rucksack that she always had with her now.

What if one of them was APC, only putting on a voice? Sharpay knew about putting on voices; she was a actor, after all. No . . . no she wasn't, not anymore. Now, she was a wreck.

She couldn't believe that before all this, she was actually somebody. It was the Dark Lottery, and she'd been chosen. She couldn't undo that; only APC could.

"Miss Evans, we ask that you only take one person inside with you." the man was saying, but Sharpay wasn't listening. The look on her face was blank, and Kelsi said quickly, "I'll go."

"We'll be right outside." said Troy quietly, and Chad nodded. Kelsi said she hadn't been able to see APC, but she might be able to recognise him by the build or stance of the suspects, maybe by how they walked.

Gripping the passive Sharpay's elbow firmly, Kelsi steered them inside after the cops.

**…HSM…**

Taylor swallowed but kept her eyes open, and senses alert. She was sure she was being watched, but assured herself that she was being paranoid.

That didn't stop her hand resting on the pocket knife in her shoulder bag.

It was a job getting up here; first she had to find out which room Ryan was in, and then get in there without; one, attracting attention; and b, being stopped by nurses wondering if she was a relative.

She crept down the silent, eerie, blindingly white corridor. Daylight trickled in from the small windows, and the curtains fluttered eerily from non-existent drafts.

She slipped into the room Ryan was being held in . . . and the door closed shut behind her.

"Oh God . . . oh my God . . ." she gasped, stumbling backward, pressing her back to the closed door, horrified, wishing to _God_ to leave again, wishing she hadn't entered in the first place.

Ryan wasn't there. The sheets were crumpled, half on the mattress and half on the floor, and there was blood in some places. Random items were everywhere, like there'd been some sort of fight in there.

But the worse part . . . was the two nurses on the floor, dead.

One had a large 'X' scraped into her face, so you could hardly see her features, and there were slits all over her body, deep, with red and blue veins trailing out in a few places.

The other had her neck slit and she'd been cut open, one long straight line, from neck to hips, so you could see all of her organs, pink and red and soft, and _utterly repulsive_.

Taylor wrenched the door open, and ran down the corridor as fast as she could, and stopping to puke on the floor on the way, holding her hair out of her face.

She'd never seen such violence. It was _disgusting_.

How could this ruthless murderer – how could _anyone_ get away with this in broad daylight? How long had they been there . . . and _no one_ had noticed?

On the way, she told every nurse and doctor she saw about the corpses and the missing patient in the room Ryan was in, and soon an alert was going round the whole hospital. When the person in charge of the hospital finally got involved, he asked to see the 'traumatised girl' who's informed them about the murders, but she was nowhere to be found.

Taylor wasn't stupid. She knew she was now being watched, and she couldn't go back home, or Gabriella and her parents would be in danger.

She was more scared than she'd ever been, but made her way to the police station, where she knew Sharpay, Kelsi, Chad and Troy would be.

She had to get to them. She had to stay in public places in the light. If she went into a more secluded place, that was it, game over. No one would ever see her again.

But how could she fight this battle if she didn't know _what_ she was fighting?

* * *

_Target List Number 4.6_

_Target Status:_

_Jason Cross . . . TARGETED!_

_Sharpay Evans . . . LOCATION UNKOWN_

_Martha Cox . . . STILL DYING_

_Kelsi Nielsen . . . LOCATION UNKNOWN_

_Gabriella Montez . . . DEAD / DYING (?)_

_Troy Bolton . . . LOCATION UNKNOWN_

_Zeke (surname unknown) . . . DEAD_

_(First Name unknown) Evans . . . REPORTED MISSING / DYING_

_Taylor McKessie . . . TARGETED!_

* * *

**The only person he still doesn't know about is ****Chad . . . how long can Chad hide?! **

**Hope you liked that! Please review!**

**Star x x x**


	9. Sharpay's Fate

**[I didn't think i was gonna update cause it's my birthday today, but here it is so . . . the next chappie might be a little while . . .]**

**Disclaimer: you know what 'disclaimer' means . . .**

**This chapter reveals the truth . . . but also more secrets. Will Sharpay finally find out who APC is? Is this the end?**

* * *

"My name is Chuck Harris," the guy said, his voice deep and husky. He looked healthy, and certainly happy. It made Sharpay sick.

This was him. It was the ginger haired guy.

The one who'd kidnapped Martha and Kelsi, the one who chased Gabriella and Sharpay on the rooftops. He was the one who'd let his gun get stolen then got it back after the exploding car.

Chuck Harris.

He was the one who'd killed Zeke.

Chuck smirked. ". . . and I'm not the man you call APC."

"How do you know we call him APC? How does this freak know what he knows?" Sharpay said through gritted teeth.

"APC, or Shadow man, as we call him too, has his methods . . ."

"Don't feed me that!" Sharpay shrilled, and the cops took a slight step forward, one of them, Officer Perry, was about to speak, but Kelsi said quickly,

"Sorry, Officer. Sharpay won't loose her temper again, will you?" Kelsi gave her hot-headed friend a sharp nudge, and Sharpay slowly but surely nodded. Kelsi went on, "We just ask you not to interrupt - we really need these answers, sir."

"Well . . ." Officer Perry looked uncertain, but Sharpay was already firing the questions and Chuck.

"Even if you're not going to tell me, do you at least know who _Shadow Man_ is? I mean, who he _really_ is?"

"In a sense, yes and no." Chuck gave an evil smile. "His motives do not need to be explained. He believes some people just . . . don't deserve to be in this world."

"Like the actresses you've targeted?"

"They are all so spoilt. Too spoilt - and then they wonder why God is punishing them." Everyone's mouths fell open at this.

"No." said Sharpay, trembling with rage. "Don't you _dare_ start with that, Harris! How the _hell_ can APC think he's a messenger of God? He hasn't got the right to punish _anybody_."

"If he didn't have the right, either the law or a supernatural power like God would have taken it away already." smiled Chuck. "That's how he knows he's doing God's work."

Sharpay stood up suddenly. She felt sick. Using religion as an excuse for APC's brutality – it was sickening beyond words. One look at Kelsi told Sharpay that she felt it too.

"Get rid of him." Sharpay said, with so much loathing and disgust, that when Chuck smiled manically in response, she almost ripped his eyes out.

She stormed out of the room, breathing heavily, and hugged Kelsi fiercely. She couldn't believe she'd just faced Zeke's killer and just let him walk away to his cell, living and breathing and healthy when she should have killed the fucker himself.

Officer Perry started asking them questions about APC, but Sharpay refused to answer anything.

"Bring out the other guy you caught. I'm talking to him first, and then I'll answer anything you want." Sharpay lied.

She couldn't tell the officer anything. Not unless she wanted him to die as well.

**…HSM…**

She took in his appearance. He wasn't as joyous as Chuck Harris, so she hoped he wasn't as carefree about death or she wouldn't be able to handle it. His face was thin, and it had lost its colour. He had cold, grey eyes.

This was the brunette guy, the one who had found Sharpay in the house, and he'd shot Ryan.

But something told her that he wasn't APC either.

"What's your name?" said Sharpay sharply. Long pause, no answer. "What's his name, Officer?"

"Thomas. Thomas Defer."

"Right then, Defer." Sharpay said crisply. "So, tell me. Why did you shoot my broth – my friend? Why did your boss want you to come after me? Do you even know who he is?"

Still no answer.

"C'mon, you must have _some_ feelings on the subject! Why did you decide that working for a guy like APC was bags of fun?"

Thomas didn't answer, but his expression darkened.

"Why won't you answer me?!" Sharpay exclaimed, banging a fist on the table.

"You know, I used to be a normal guy." Thomas said suddenly. It was surprising to hear such a strong voice come from a mouth that was part of such a frail body. "I can't even remember what it's like to be '_normal_'."

Sharpay watched him warily. She wouldn't let him appeal to her sympathetic side, in case it was a trick. But at the same time, this could lead somewhere useful.

"But when he wants something, he gets it. You can't refuse. You can't bargain. You can't beg. You just _do it_. Because you have _no other choice_."

Thomas looked directly into Sharpay's eyes, and nowhere else.

"I used to wake up every day, feeling sorry for myself. I was a killer, and I hated it. I've tried to kill _myself_ countless times, but he stops me. He's always there, watching, smiling." he shuddered. "There really was no escape."

He dropped his gaze. "But the person I feel sorry for the most is _you_, Sharpay. Because one by one, everyone you love will die, until your friends and family are gone. Even people you only briefly make friends with will disappear, until you have no-one."

Thomas was now shivering uncontrollably. "And then, when you think you can't be hurt any more . . ." he closed his eyes, and Sharpay was finally free of their gaze, ". . . you will horribly and painfully . . . die."

Kelsi was crying silently, and Sharpay was frozen to the core. She was realising what a mistake this was. "I've seen it happen, so many times." he whispered. "Not just to his three former victims, but to the people they cared about too."

"So . . . you kill . . . them?" Sharpay swallowed. "At the end . . . when you horribly and painfully -"

"If it's the people who don't matter." he smiled painfully. "But the victims have the honour of APC killing them himself. Every person who had ever helped to make your life hell, all the four hit men – or as I call them, horsemen of the apocalypse, including myself, are there to watch. And his face is the last one you every see."

"Sharpay . . ." cried Kelsi, crying harder. Sharpay swallowed. So this was her fate.

"You see, everyone has their part to play in this big production. That's how APC likes to say it – his targets are actresses after all, so they can relate - no matter how much you try to change the script, it only has one ending. And sooner or later, the end will come."

Sharpay slowly stood up. Officer Perry looked seriously spooked, but Sharpay was barely fazed. It was like she knew this was coming. She was going to die, eventually.

"That why I'm so glad you caught me." Thomas sighed. "I can spend the rest of my days in prison. Or, if I tell everyone about APC, he'll consider me a nuisance and finally kill me."

"I doubt that . . ." whispered a blank Sharpay. "He'll probably just recapture you and torture you."

"True, true . . ." Thomas said quietly.

"Anything else you want to tell me while I'm still alive?" Sharpay said.

"Yes." Thomas paused, then said, "APC has a hit-list. I don't know if that's important to you, but I thought I might as well say it anyway."

Kelsi closed her eyes and rocked back and forth, traumatised.

"Also . . . Maye got herself saved for a while by not interfering with APC's plans, until, that is, she realised she was going to die anyway and helped you, sealing her fate of death."

Kelsi stood up hurriedly, and clutched Sharpay's arm. "I want to leave, Sharpay. Now!" she added, whispering, "He's scaring me!"

"And lastly . . . you been in this police station so long . . . he probably has people all around the building by now."

Sharpay, Kelsi, and every other cop in the room froze.

Thomas smiled sadly. "I'm sorry."

All three rushed out the door while the police officers inside the interrogation room put defer back in his cell, and Officer Perry called for re-enforcement to 'secure the perimeter'.

He looked around for the two girls that he promised himself halfway through the interrogation that he would protect, but now, they were gone.

"No . . ." he whispered. "NO! Oh shit, where are they?!"

**…HSM…**

"We gotta run. NOW!" Sharpay hissed, as she ran with Kelsi up to Chad and Troy. They almost moved quickly down the busy street, the sun shining sweetly, a soft breeze playing with their hair.

"What's happening?!" Chad said urgently.

"We were in there for too long. APC's got people watching our every move . . ." Sharpay shook her head.

Kelsi panted, "Even in broad daylight, we're not safe. We can't go back to Taylor's house, they'll find her and Gabi . . ."

No one spoke for a second. "They where do we go?" whispered Troy.

"It's me they want. So we have to split up." Sharpay said, as the others objected. "No, I won't do it any other way. If you want to live, do as I say." she said firmly. They rounded the corner onto a high street.

"Troy, go home. Kelsi, go to your home too. Chad -"

"I'm coming with you." he said, determined.

"To my house. Then you will leave." she said pointedly, and she could see him about to object, but let it drop. He knew she could do without the stress.

When her phone rang, it was all they could do not to freeze with shock. What did APC want from them now? Sharpay answered, so, very scared.

"Sharpay, my little darling." came the cold metallic voice that haunted her as she slept. "We haven't spoken in a while . . . and I have a surprise for you, my sweet."

At that moment, Sharpay saw the reflection in a trash can and a little way behind them were two men in leather jackets, and casual sunglasses.

The two remaining horsemen of the apocalypse.

**…HSM...**

APC had to give Sharpay Evans some credit. She was the most difficult target he'd had so far. Damn, he'd only had three others.

He'd been on the East High website. That's how he found out about the black girl in the hospital, Taylor McKessie, winner of several science awards.

And now he'd found her location. It was capture and punish now. Punish for getting involved. Well, if she was a close friend to Sharpay she would've been targeted anyway.

As for the sweet Sharpay, he'd finally found her too, and the afro-boy, Troy, even Kelsi, who'd escaped. Ooh, he should punish her too.

He tried the website again the next day, hoping to find out about the afro-haired boy, but for some reason the site was down. Shit. Jason must have tampered with it.

APC made a mental note to arrange an even _more_ painful death than the one he already had planned for that Goddamn boy . . .

After trying to save APC's three former victims, and now a fourth, as soon as Sharpay was dead, Jason was next, because he was good at trying to save lives, but not good enough to actually save them.

And to be honest, he was getting on APC's fucking nerves.

* * *

_Target List Number 4.7_

_Target Status:_

_Jason Cross . . . LOCATION UNKNOWN_

_Sharpay Evans . . .TARGETED!_

_Martha Cox . . . DYING_

_Kelsi Nielsen . . . __TARGETED!_

_Gabriella Montez . . . DEAD / DYING (?)_

_Troy Bolton . . . TARGETED!_

_Zeke (surname unknown) . . . DEAD_

_(First Name unknown) Evans . . . CAPTURED / DYING_

_Taylor McKessie . . . TARGETED!_

_(Unknown Accomplice – Afro-hair) . . . TARGETED!_

* * *

**Sharpay is c****loser to her death than she's ever been before . . . can she escape? :)**

**And Taylor . . . let's hope she's okay!**

**Star x x x**


	10. The Victim or VICTIMS?

**Disclaimer: HSM isn't mine. PUTP is.**

**At this point, no-one can be sure who will live, and who will not. Pick Up The Phone has many twists and turns . . . and, strangely, scarily, but inevitably . . . none but I knows where the destination is.**

* * *

Taylor stumbled into the police station and stared. It seemed like there was something important going on because cops were rushing around everywhere.

Dazed, she approached the counter. The only thing she'd thought for the last few hours since she'd left the hospital was 'Find Sharpay. Find Kelsi, Chad and Troy. Find Sharpay'

"Find them!" an officer yelled. "Sharli and Kelly, we need to find where they are!"

Taylor turned around and stared, confused. Sharli and Kelly. Sharpay and Kelsi. Of course! They _would_ have to change their name . . .

"Excuse me, what's your name?" Taylor found herself saying suddenly.

The man looked at her, slightly surprised, but said "Call me Officer Perry."

She almost said, '_I think you're looking for my friends._', but that would be stupid. Instead, she said, "What's happening?" Seeing his look, she added, "No really, I wanna know. Just say."

The man sighed. "I think we have a deranged serial killer on the loose trying to play God."

"Oh . . ." Taylor said carefully, and decided not to stay in case he got suspicious – time to make a quick exit. "Well, good luck with finding him."

"Wait." Officer Perry said when she was at the door. "Why did you ask?"

"I've just . . ." she shrugged. ". . . been hearing weird things lately. But I doubt It's related."

'_Oh shit shit shit!_' she thought immediately after – could you get more mysterious?! He's _bound_ to ask curious questions after that! "Uh, have a good day, Officer."

"And you." he frowned. "But what did you say your name was, again?"

Taylor opened her mouth to say, '_I didn't,_' but that would be WAY too suspicious. Instead, she said, "Tyler McKay." and left before he asked any more questions or started thinking that _she_ was the killer.

**…HSM…**

"Why do you keep that rucksack with you?" Chad said curiously, as Sharpay hurriedly piled more food, drinks, and easy-moving clothes like tracksuits into it.

"Because if I find myself on the run from APC, I do intend to survive in other ways as well, you know." Sharpay gave a little smile, and rolled her eyes.

Chad sat on Sharpay's bed, as she opened the curtain to let in the beautiful daylight. It was painful to see that the good stuff in life was still happening, other people having fun, while they . . .

"Also . . ." Sharpay took out the notebook. "I need to keep a diary. I did before, but I stopped when ACP got involved, I was too busy running. But I need to start writing in it again, it's important this time. Maye and Ellarae Dicantios kept one, their whole story is in it. It was their _one chance_ to tell the world about APC, so they never told anyone they even kept one, or he might've found it . . ."

"Isn't Jason getting those published?"

Sharpay nodded. "Yeah."

They sat in silence for a moment. "Sharpay . . ." Chad swallowed. "I'm . . . scared. For you. Is there . . . any way out of this?"

Sharpay took a moment to answer, her back to him, facing the window. "Not for me, I don't think so. But for you . . . well, APC's target was Ellarae, when she was dead, he let Maye off. So if I hand myself over . . ."

"Don't you dare." Chad stood up and moved closer. "Don't you dare! We've come this far -"

"And we're in the same place we were when we started. Without Zeke." she said bitterly. "And Ryan. And Martha."

"Sharpay, anywhere you go, I'm going with you. I'll get another rucksack, some money, food -"

"Chad!" Sharpay whipped around. "No - _way!_ _It's not happening!_" Sharpay sighed, then walked to him. "Chad." and their foreheads leaned against each other. "I'm so sorry."

And she gave him a small kiss on the lips, but one that made her whole body tingle. It really was perfect. If only . . . but no. She'd never be normal again. At least she got to show him how she felt before . . . she died.

"Sharpay . . ." he whispered.

"I won't get to do that again." Sharpay said, a tear sliding down her cheek, "You know what? You should just," she wiped her tears away and ran to the bedroom door, "Forget about me!"

"What?" she heard Chad say incredulously, but she was already out the room the room, down the corridor. She sprinted, harder and harder. She could save Chad. She _would_ save him.

"Sharpay!" she heard him shout, but she didn't stop running until she'd lost him. She cried painfully afterwards, but it was worth it, to save him. It was for his own good, right?

**…HSM…**

"Officer Perry?" said a young man, wearing a hat that shaded his face and a long dark coat.

"How can I help you, son?" he said warily. It seemed like the whole world needed to speak with him today.

"I have a lead on your serial killer case."

Officer Perry stared. He stared for a _long_ time. The serial killer case had been open for less than an hour and a stranger already had a lead?!

"How . . . ?" he said slowly. "Who are you?"

Jason took off his hat and smiled, knowing that Officer Perry wouldn't recognise him years on.

"Officer, do you remember your colleague Shanice Manning who took the Dicantios' killer case or somethin' like that?"

Officer Perry stared at him even more until the memories and the pain started to return, and he lowered his eyes, caught off-guard with his emotions. "Officer Manning went missing a long time ago." he said, swallowing painfully. "What do you want from me, son?"

"Justice." Jason said softly, and took out three books from beneath his coat.

They were all red, but one had two black stripes and read APC's SECOND VICTIM: Georgina Florida. The other had three black stripes and said APC'S THIRD VICTIM: Ellarae Dicantios. The last one was red all over, and the cover read: THE DICANTIOS SISTERS: THEIR LIVING NIGHTMARE and in a bubble underneath, the words: TRUE STORY!

"These are the published books of the diaries belonging to the girls who died at the hands of ths psycho. They wroe about the serial killer you're trying to find." Jason explained, giving him the books. "The girl who came today is his fourth victim."

"My God . . ." Officer Perry whispered, as he flicked through one.

"His first victim was called Katy-Rose Roberts. An actress. I couldn't find any record of her life. I'm hoping a relative will have a diary of her or something."

"God, I remember her." Officer Perry said. "Mutilated, wasn't she?"

"Yes. This guy – called APC – his second victim was an actress too, Georgina Florida. Also mutilated. She didn't write a diary – she preferred to keep a blog that she posted on every day, so I printed off the enties and still made a book of it. People _need_ to know -"

"You got these done yourself?" said Officer Perry as he flicked through abouther book, surprised but impressed. "I see . . ."

Jason cleared his throat, looking over his shoulder. "The book with the three black stripes is Ellarae Dicantios' diary, and the other one is a book of extracts from he diary and her sister's diary, Maye, as well. Then I could add in what their thoughts and suspicions really meant."

"Can I . . . keep . . . this?" officer Perry said tentively.

"Of course, I had about a dozen copies printed, and spent the day leaving them in places, on benches, in libraries, police stations, in as many random places as I can. People _need_ to know."

"That's a good idea but . . . I know it wastes to much time to advertise to libraries and book shops to get copies, and then send them off and so forth - but why not just go straight to the police with -"

"I don't think you've noticed this trend, but every police officer who's got involved had disappeared." Jason said grimly. "I just hope you know what you're getting yourself into."

Officer Perry slowly nodded. The Chief of Police would have to know about this. But then _not another soul could be told_.

**…HSM…**

Taylor ran as fast as she could.

Sharpay, Troy, Chad and Kelsi left the Police Station, but they knew they were being watched so they couldn't have gone to her house. She must be being watched too! Where could she go?

She had to call someone. Whose number did she know off by heart? Chad! Of course.

She saw someone slip an old cell phone into a big pocket of an overcoat, and as there was a crowd, she stole it easily. She hated doing it, but what choice did she have? What was an old phone to a life?

She punched in his number, and waited for him to pick up as she kept moving, long, quick strides, trying to blend in at the same time.

"What?" he said agitatedly. "Is this APC? 'Cause if it is, watch what I fucking do to you, you sonuva -"

"Chad, Chad, it's me!" Taylor said hurriedly. "I need help."

"Taylor, I . . ." he sounded pained. "I can't talk right now."

"Chad, I know times are hard. We're all worried what's going to happen. We're all worried for Sharpay as well as for ourselves – but I'm in more danger of losing my life right now that anyone else, even in broad daylight. Help me, Chad. I'm being tracked!"

He was silent for a moment, before saying, "None of us went to your house, because it would bring the trackers there. So here's what we do – I'll call your parents, and tell them what's happening. Gabriella needs to stay safe."

"Right, right!" Taylor agreed quickly, crossing at a crossroads. the sunlight was blinding her, and the stream of people pushed her into the general flow of direction.

"Then, I'll call Troy and Kelsi, and tell them to meet us at the Dicantios' house."

"Chad, are you crazy?! That's a crime scene, now!"

"Damn, you're right. Okay . . . meet me here, then, the Evans' Mansion."

"Okay, okay." Taylor said, looking around hurriedly, and continuing down the street. "Is Sharpay with you?"

She smiled at some people she knew from school, but didn't stop to talk, because they'd ask why she wasn't at school like the others . . . they didn't even know how lucky they were to live a normal life.

"Sharpay . . . isn't here. She -"

At that moment, she rounded at a corner, and two bulky men bumped into her, not bothering to say sorry as her phone was kicked across the street by the crowd, into the road, and then finally driven over by a car at the crossroads.

Cursing, she turned to look down the street where the men were, to give them a piece of her mind, when she realised that something was kinda weird. They were in black leather jackets, with black sunglasses. They'd stopped, and turned around to stare at her. And now, they . . .

. . . had targeted her.

Taylor turned on her heel and ran.

* * *

_Target List Number 4.8_

_Target Status:_

_Jason Cross . . . LOCATION UNKNOWN_

_Sharpay Evans . . . LOCATION UNKNOWN_

_Martha Cox . . . __STILL__ DYING (might have to kill her. Taking too long to die.)_

_Kelsi Nielsen . . . __TARGETED!_

_Gabriella Montez . . . CONFIRRMED TO BE DYING_

_Troy Bolton . . . TARGETED!_

_Zeke (surname still unknown) . . . DEAD_

_Ryan Evans . . . CAPTURED / DYING_

_Taylor McKessie . . . TARGETED!_

_(Unknown Accomplice – Afro-hair) . . . LOCATION UNKNOWN_

* * *

**YES! APC's previous victims and their horrible pre-death secret has now been exposed to the world – some sort of justice has been brought on them by people knowing what happened to them, at least.**

**And (as **corbinbleuis4evasexc** once said to me,) isn't Jason such a SMART COOKIE! Aww, it's adorable, you gotta love it.**

**Bu I really don't know when I'll next have time to update, guys. Hopefully soon, but be prepared to wait . . .**

**Star x x x**


	11. The Diary of a DEATH

**Disclaimer: HSM isn't mine.**

**Things get more and more tense, more threatening. Things are created, destroyed, and hung on the edge of a thread. Like Sharpay's life.**

* * *

Sharpay sat on bus after bus after bus. Whenever it reached the end of the line, she got off and got on another one. She wanted to keep moving.

She took the notebook out of her rucksack. She remembered asking Ryan to put it in, when they had gone home before going to the Dicantios' house for the first time. When Ryan and Zeke . . .

She turned her attention to the notebook. If she remembered right, this had been her diary for a while, until she'd got bored of it. At the time, she thought it was important for people to know about her life.

Flipping the book open, she read the last few entries.

'_Urgh, It's true. Troy and Gabriella are going out. I don't know why I care. I mean, they're gonna break up soon anyway, they don't suit at all.'_

Sharpay smiled. She got out a red pen, and wrote on the side of that entry; '_LOL, someone's jealous! I can't believe I wrote that. They totally suit each other_.' then she wrote the date underneath.

Then she thought that they did kind of break up – APC's wiped any thoughts of romance from everyone's minds. The positive feeling crushed, Sharpay grimly turned the page.

'_One day, I will get a pair of scissors and cut off Danforth's hair. How dare he comment on MY hair, when mine is always perfect and his looks like a toilet brush? The cheek!'_

Sharpay snorted. She remembered that day. She turned the page.

'_I think I just had an epiphany. Well, not quite, but something life it. I just realised . . . I'm not a __nice__ person. People I hang with – do they actually like me? Or do they just do what I say? Do they just hang with me because it makes them popular?_

_There's a Halloween party at East High soon. I should use this social event to make some real friends. Or at least find out if I have a few already._'

Sharpay started at the page for a long time after she read that entry. It was a painful reminder of what she used to be, but more than that, it was a reminder of a goal she really wanted to fulfil. And now she couldn't.

Troy, Gabriella, Kelsi, Zeke – were they real friends? They'd just been brought together because . . . because APC thought they meant something to her. And for they first time, she realised – they did. They _were_ her real friends. If they died because of her, she'd make sure the world at least knew they existed.

She opened her diary, and for the first time in a while, began to write, but not silly, petty things about her or her life. This time, it was deadly serious.

This was about _Him_, and what he'd done to her, and how he'd ruined her life.

**…HSM…**

"Guys . . . we're at a crisis here." Taylor said, her voice quivering. She stood with troy, Chad and Kelsi in the entrance hall, by the door. "Sharpay's gone missing, so she's in a lot of danger right now."

"Plus, we're still at risk of being taken as hostages." Troy said, and everyone looked at him. "You know, like, 'Sharpay, give yourself up or the friend dies!', or because we know too much."

"Damn. He's got a point." Chad said wearily.

"What about Gabriella?" Kelsi said, frightened.

Taylor put an arm round her shoulders comfortingly. "I think she's safe, as long as we don't lead APC's guys to my house. I think my parents can protect her. I really hope so."

"But now we have to protect ourselves, right?" Kelsi whispered, and Taylor nodded. "But who's going to protect Sharpay?" There was a brief silence.

"I hope to God that Jason will find her. He'll know what to do." Chad nodded.

"He _will?!_" Troy said sarcastically, then looked apologetic, and scared. "Well, I hope so . . . just hope that he'll find us after, okay?"

Everyone smiled a painful smile. It was one of a lot of hurt, thinking of what they'd been though, but it had hope in it too. They didn't know if the hope was there, or if they thought was there, but it was something.

The smash at the door scared all of them as they stumbled away from the door, and Kelsi screamed. As the smashing went on, Taylor was so glad she quadruple locked the door.

"It's them!" hissed Chad, and motioned for them to go to the black entrance, but someone was trying to smash their way through that one too. Unfortunately, they'd only locked the back door once.

"The balcony exit to the rooftops!" Troy said hurriedly. "Like the day Kelsi was here with that collar on her neck!"

They ran upstairs to the master bedroom, and heard a menacing cackle as downstairs, the back door smashed open.

**…HSM…**

Gabriella turned around slowly to the applause of Taylor's parents. "That's great, Gabriella! Could you walk back around the room?"

Gabriella smiled confidently, but when she took her first step, all the bad thing came back to her mind. Concentrating on positive things didn't make her forget about the pain anymore. Her step wobbled.

"Gabriella, you okay?" said Mr McKessie, concerned, standing up.

"I'm sorry, I can't." Gabriella whimpered. She was in so much pain, both emotional and physically. "It hurts too much . . ."

"Oh Gabriella, that's perfectly _fine_." Mrs McKessie said reassuringly, rushing to her, then slowly helping her back into bed. "You'll need more than a week or so to recover -"

Knock knock.

They all glanced at each other. "I'll get it." nodded Mr McKessie, leaving the room. Who could that be? Sharpay? Maybe one of the others? Or . . .

Him.

"_No!_" hissed Gabriella, drawing in breath sharply. It hurt her stomach but she couldn't help but do it. "He can't! It could be APC _himself!_"

"Gabi, honey – It'll be fine." said Mrs McKessie comfortingly. "I don't see why he'd turn up in broad daylight. I'll go downstairs to check if everything's okay. if our visitor looks weird I'll call the cops straight away. Yeah?"

Gabriella nodded, but she felt sick. She thought of the call she'd had from Chad, updating her on everything since the police station, saying that the four of them were on the run now. They couldn't come back to her, or they'd lead the killers to the doorstep.

So now she was on her own until she'd healed.

The two females heard a scuffle downstairs, as well as a few thumps. they looked at each other, and froze.

"Forget the checking part," Gabriella whispered. "Call the cops." Taylor's Mom was still frozen. "Please, Mrs McKessie! Call the cops!" She ran out of the room, and Gabriella heard her cross the landing to the nearest phone.

Breathing heavily, Gabriella swung her legs out of bed again. What if she needed to escape? She couldn't in her condition, but she had to try or die.

She got up, went to the cupboard to find some of Taylor's shoes, when she heard footsteps up the stairs and Mrs McKessie's scream. Gabriella whipped around to face the door, scared. What did she do?!

She slipped into the cupboard and locked herself in, before remembering that she should taken her cell phone with her. As she wondered if she had time to get it, the bedroom door opened.

A man entered, and she couldn't see his face properly, because of the cupboard, and his long hair. He looked at the ruffled bedsheets a while, before touching them.

With dawning horror, she realised that they'd be warm, because she'd just got out of it. And if he thought she was still in the room, under the bed and in the cupboard would be the first places he looked.

Then she remembered – before it all started, Taylor had said at the Halloween party that there was a little room behind the closet, and it was undetectable. She used to hide from her dad when she'd been bad, her sister when she'd taken something, and apparently she'd made out with Chad in there too.

She groped for a handle. Couldn't find one, and started to panic more, as the man checked under the bed and got up. She started pushing and pulling at random as he got closer, praying, praying . . .

. . . and then she pushed a certain spot and the door slid open silently and started to close again straight away – but not before Gabi was inside. It was the size of Taylor's cupboard, but with no shutters, so no light. She only had one tiny peephole . . .

The man had opened the cupboard, looked around dismissively, then shut it again, but didn't leave the room. He sat on the bed, making endless phone calls.

So, with no one with her and no way to escape, Gabriella wondered how long it would be before she died from starvation or by simply being caught.

**…HSM…**

Jason had gone to Katy-Rose's mother, who refused to help, her older sister, her younger sister, her cousins and aunties and uncles and none of them kept diaries.

The relatives that did hadn't recorded anything about Katy-Rose acting strangely at any point, because they hadn't seen her recently enough. And, of course, she was an actress. She could cover it up, when she took time out of her busy schedule to see them.

In the end, her went back to the mother after finding out that she knew more than she was letting on.

"What do you want from me?!" she snapped, as he stood on her doorstep, and she half-hid herself behind the door.

"I told you already. Some of the Special Victims Unit have decided to re-open the Katy-Rose Roberts case. We think we can find her murderer."

"You can't!" she shrilled, hysteric. "Why are you bringing this all back up, when I finally managed to . . . to get over her?!" she broke down, and Jason comforted her.

He thought, '_This is gonna be hard . . ._' but in fact, after her assured her he was trust worthy, she admitted that she did keep a diary, but stopped using it after Katy-Rose's death.

He read it, and the information of Katy-Rose's strange behaviour was imprinted there, everything. He thanked Mrs Roberts and left.

When he'd got back to Albuquerque, he'd got word that Sharpay was wondering the damn country on her own.

Jeez, Sharpay!

And an hour later, he found out that APC had been tracking him, and Mrs Roberts is now gravely injured, as a warning.

Oh crap.

* * *

_Target List Number 4.9_

_Target Status:_

_Jason Cross . . . POSSIBLE LOCATION NARROWED . . ._

_Sharpay Evans . . . LOCATION UNKNOWN_

_Martha Cox . . . __STILL__ DYING (probably will have to kill her.)_

_Kelsi Nielsen . . . __TARGETED!_

_Gabriella Montez . . . DEAD / DYING? CANNOT BE LOCATED . . ._

_Troy Bolton . . . TARGETED!_

_Zeke (surname still unknown) . . . DEAD_

_Ryan Evans . . . CAPTURED_

_Taylor McKessie . . . TARGETED!_

_(Unknown Accomplice – Afro-hair) . . . TARGETED!_

* * *

**Everyone's at a crisis . . .**

**I'm sorry to say, the story is coming to an end . . . but the last chapter isn't here yet! I really hoped you enjoyed that – if you want me to continue to the end, please leave a review to cheer me up :) LOL**

**Star x x x**


	12. Who will save Sharpay?

**Disclaimer: APC can obtain whatever he wants . . . even HSM.**

**The people of Albuquerque are starting to know about the horrific deaths of Katy-rose Roberts, Georgina Florida, and Ellarae Dicantios. But who will do anything about it? Is the work of the police enough to catch **_**Him**_**?**

**Who will save Sharpay?**

* * *

"Get off the bus." came a voice that was so full of anger, it trembled.

Sharpay was sitting in the back seat of the bus, and looked up to see Jason standing over her, and she'd never seen him so angry. It scared her a little.

She looked around quickly – this bus wasn't too full, only about ten people on it. Two noisy kids and a tired mother, a guy in a black leather jacket, and old man who coughed a lot and read the newspaper, three friends who chatted peacefully, an athlete who couldn't keep still – and her.

"I – I can't get off now!" Sharpay said, alarmed and nervous. "We're - we're in the middle of nowhere!"

"I don't care." Jason hissed. "What the _hell_ do you think you're doing, wondering off on your own?!" And he didn't stop. "And to think, everyone is doing all they can to keep you alive and one day you chuck that hard work back in our faces and decide to walk to your death!"

"I – I just . . ."

"You just _nothing!_ I can't believe you – Sharpay, if you don't get off this bus at the next stop then God help me I will forcefully _drag_ you off." And with that, he sat down beside her, and they went the rest of the journey in silence until they got off.

When the bus had gone, she looked at where they were and . . . it really was the middle of nowhere. The road was big, but empty. On either side of the road was a stretch of grass, and the sun wasn't shining but the sky was clear. It was like someone had taken a picturesque field and stuck a road down the middle.

But . . . it was nowhere. Too nice. Too peaceful. It was . . . scary.

Jason cleared his throat. "Sharpay . . . I know that you wanted to protect your friends, but if APC can't find you, he'll use them as bait to lure you to him anyway. You might not even _know_ they're in danger. It's best to stick together, and stay _with_ people, dammit."

Sharpay sat on the bench that was by the bus stop, and stared at the ground. "Jason . . . I can't take this. I really can't, I'm going out of my _mind_, here." There was a silence.

"If . . . I told you I think I know who APC is . . ." Jason said quietly.

Sharpay stared at him so long, she became numb. You couldn't just throw something like that into a conversation – well, unless you were Jason. This guy, who'd been tormenting her for ages . . . if she knew who he was, that he was a real person and not a nightmare she couldn't make go away –

"W-what? _WHAAAT?!_ Jason, that's a big thing you just said, there!"

"I know, I know, but I mean . . . it's no one you will know, if I'm right. Which is unlikely." Jason shrugged. "Well, I know _where_ he is, so that's where I'm going. That's why I wanted to find you."

Jason looked away awkwardly. "You might not see me again."

Sharpay's mouth dropped open as he hastily pulled three red and black books out from his rucksack, and handed them to her. "The published diaries. I'm getting Katy-Rose's mother's diary done too, but obviously . . . I might not be alive to collect it, so . . ."

"Wait, wait Jason." Sharpay's voice trembled. "You mean, you're just going to walk to your death so you can just find out who he _is? _You lousy dirty hypocrite, Jason! I hate you! How could you do this?!"

"Sharpay, Sharpay!" said Jason comfortingly. "It's okay. I have friends who'll help you - they're pretty good at dodging him. I haven't mentioned this before because they live quite far away, but . . ."

"But they're not _you_." Sharpay sobbed, suddenly very scared.

Jason sighed, and gave her a small hug. Words couldn't be used to express what they were both feeling, so they sat in silence for a while.

"I'm going to tell you where he is when I find out for sure – but it's a matter of whether he catches me and kill me first before I can do that. No biggie." he grimaced, but he looked apologetic when Sharpay glared at him for the bad joke.

"Jason . . ." Sharpay began in a hurt voice, but he cut her off.

"Just listen Sharpay, here's an envelope. Inside it is the stuff I need you to do for me, where to get the published copies from, what to do with them, where I think APC is, who he is, etcetera."

Sharpay could feel the tears sliding down her cheeks. What would she do if the only person who had an influence over everyone, the person who's helped them and saved their lives more than once disappeared?! If another person died . . .

"Sharpay." Jason sighed, and gave the girl a small kiss on the lips, surprising her. "Just listen. If I don't make it, all my research and equipment – they'll be tools to help you. You'll find out where they are. Sharpay, you have the stamina that none of APC's other victims had. You'll do fine without me – you've made it this far."

"I won't do f*cking fine," mutter Sharpay bitterly. "I'm doomed without you, Jay." She looked up at the clear sky for one, rare, blissful moment. "I don't get it." She whispered. "The whole 'I'm dumb' thing at school . . . it was all . . ."

". . . an act." Jason confirmed, nodding. "Its just little things I have to remember to do - all the time. It's hard, but it's the only way I can stay ahead of the game, and fool APC."

Jason stood up, seeing a bus coming far off from the opposite direction. "C'mon. Let's cross the road and get on that bus back to Albuquerque. I'll hook you up with some friends of mine if we can't find Troy and the others, but then I'm leaving straight away."

As the crossed the road, Jason murmured and smiled, "The more I wait, the more time I waste." Sharpay felt a shiver pass through her.

"By the way," she said shakily. "I know you said I won't know him, but . . . who do you think APC is?"

Jason thought for a second. "What were the names of the guys the police caught?"

"Um . . . Chuck. Chuck . . . _Harris_, and Tommy . . .? No, Thomas . . . Thomas something . . . ? I can't remem -"

"Oh wow. Chuck." Jason smiled again. "Chuck Harris. He taught me assault and defence in every art, you know. Frickin' amazin', but crazy. Whenever I duelled him I thought he was gonna kill me."

Sharpay was alarmed by this piece of news, but just said, "Jason . . . who do you think APC is?"

"Think? No, from what you just told me, I _know_ who he is."

Sharpay started shaking, realising the bus was closer now. "W-who?"

Jason's smiled vanished, and for the first time ever, he looked scared, horrified. He couldn't look her in the eye. He paled, and swallowed. Sharpay tried to stop shaking, but little horrible shivers kept passing through her.

"My father."

**…HSM…**

Gabriella was aching all over from staying in the same position for so long. She changed now and then, but there was limited space in the wardrobe-closet-y room behind the built-in wardrobe-y-closet.

She'd been in there for ages. Too long. She'd had to hold back a sneeze, move like a mouse, and try to block out the pacing footsteps in Taylor's room.

Why hadn't he left yet?

"APC." the man said, and stopped still. Gabriella sat up. A phone call? Well, if she was trapped, she might as well listen and make herself useful for the others. And this could be interesting.

"Yes. Yes I know. She's not in the room, but she is definitely in the house, because the doors are guarded. She hasn't left, I'm sure."

Gabriella closed her eyes in horrified prayer. "Yes . . . the Evans' girl is by herself. We don't know where, but we're closing in on her, I'm sure. The other four kids are being tracked, and Jason . . ."

The man laughed, and sat down. "Well, no one ever knows where _he_ is. It seems like we never get _close_." Pause. "What? You got a plan - what – of _this house?_" another pause. "I see. Very good, Sir!"

Gabriella frowned. What would they need a room plan of the house for? "Okay, the bedroom. I came up the stairs, think she was still in the room -" silence. "What? Behind . . . behind the closet?"

Gabriella sucked in her breath sharply. This was it. He was going to find her and kill her. It was true. APC was just too good. The worst part was hearing the rustling as the man fiddled in the closet, trying to find the door, trying to find _her_. It was the sound of oncoming death.

"Excuse me, Sir – how do I open . . .? Oh. O-_kay_! I get it."

The door swung open, and daylight poured in, blinding Gabriella. There was one voice, and it was gleeful and foreboding.

"Why, hello there."

**…HSM…**

APC was incensed. FLAMING MAD.

Why was this damn Sharpay so hard? She slipped through his fingers, again and again. And what made him madder is the fact that she wasn't even _smart_, just pretty and a drama queen and _stupid_, like all his other victims.

Is there another reason why she couldn't just _die?_ Is it Jason? Luck?

This had never happened before, and he wanted to know what made Sharpay so different. As angry as APC was, he was curious too, for more reasons that just the fact that he didn't want is to happen again with other victims. And, oh God, that was another thing. His target lists!

The Katy-Rose Roberts Assignment had the number '1'. Georgina Florida had '2', Ellarae Dicantios had '3', and Sharpay Evens had '4'. His next victim should have '5'.

But because this stupid little girl didn't want to fall to the hand of God's Messenger, he'd reached 4.9. Four . . . point . . . _NINE_, for God's sake! Even Ellarae – she got to 3.8, and he only had to make 3.9 because he killed Maye, who was the last person related to that assignment. What could he say? He was a perfectionist.

So now he'd got to 4.9, and he's wanted to make a change to the list, he's had to add another decimal, 4.9.1. And if it got to 4.9.9, he'd make if he had to. Because '5' was for his _next_ chain of victims. Who would never feel the wrath of 'APC the Messenger' if this girl didn't -

Damn Sharpay. She really needed to die. Like, soon. She was ruining everything. She was _not_ following the script. Bitch.

So unless Jason managed to stop him . . . but that would never happen. He wasn't good enough. And anyway, if God made it so that he has managed to reach this far, in his quest to rid the world of unnecessary inhabitants . . . if God has made it so . . .

Nothing could stop him now.

* * *

_Target List Number 4.9.1_

_Target Status:_

_Jason Cross . . . LOCATION UNKNOWN_

_Sharpay Evans . . . LOCATION UNKNOWN_

_Martha Cox . . . __STILL__ DYING (poisoned)_

_Kelsi Nielsen . . . __TARGETED!_

_Gabriella Montez . . . CONFIRMED ALIVE – CAPUTRED_

_Troy Bolton . . . TARGETED!_

_Zeke (surname still unknown) . . . DEAD_

_Ryan Evans . . . CAPTURED_

_Taylor McKessie . . . TARGETED!_

_(Unknown Accomplice – Afro-hair) . . . TARGETED!_

* * *

**What can I say? Apart from that when I told you guys at the beginning that you probably wouldn't guess APC, it's because I really meant it. It wasn't a main character in HSM, but someone who is vital in PUTP.**

**Farewell, until next time . . .**

**Star x x x**


	13. The End?

**Disclaimer: . . .**

**The end . . . ?**

* * *

"Sharpay!" Kelsi breathed. It was such a shock to hear that name, that Chad, Taylor and Troy all stopped in their tracks.

And there, she was, getting off a bus with Jason. They all cast confirmed looks with each other - they knew Jason would find her. They'd been running for ages, hours, and now he'd found them too. It was a blessing.

"Guys!" he called, beckoning them over. They joined him appreciatively, but still looking over their shoulders for their followers. They followed Jason into a dark alleyway, and watched until they saw APC's men emerge from the opposite street, look around, and then give up and slouch away.

With a sigh of relief, there were hugs exchanged all round, with Sharpay hugging Chad fiercely, forgetting that she'd said before - and then Jason made them get down to business. Their lives kinda depended on it.

"Listen – Taylor, your house has been raided. I don't know if they found Gabi, but as she'd have nowhere to hide in your room, they probably have."

Taylor and Kelsi gasped, but the others were completely silent. It was getting darker now. They need to keep moving or else get caught.

"Wait – there's a little room – kinda like a panic room but with no cameras – it's in my room. Behind my closet. Maybe . . ."

"But does _Gabriella_ know about it?" said Troy seriously.

"I – I don't know." said Taylor worriedly. "I don't remember. I'm sure I told her . . ." she shook her head. "But when you're under pressure and scared, the chances of remembering something like that are slim."

"So what do we do?" asked Troy quietly.

"We pray for her." Sharpay whispered. "And do what we can to keep ourselves alive. Failing that, we die." Silence.

"Guys . . . I need to go somewhere," Jason said slowly, "And . . . I might not come back for a while." The look he gave Sharpay meant she wasn't supposed to fill them in.

Telling them exactly what he was going to do would destroy their hope, so he didn't tell them the truth, as they would despair like Sharpay had. At least Jason learnt from his mistakes quickly.

**...HSM...**

It felt like the Last Dinner.

Not for the others, but for Sharpay, because of what she was about to do. Jason would be leaving soon. And Sharpay would be right on his tail.

Sharpay hoped that the others would be safe with Jason's friend. She tried to think of them, instead of herself, because what she was about to do might change her life – hell, it might f*ck her life up even more than it was already.

She was about to locate and enter APC's house.

She had to be honest with herself – she'd be disobeying orders. Jason's orders. But if she was going to die anyway, might as well take the opportunity to know who was doing this to her.

She'd had to sneak away from them when they were sleeping. It was horrible, but it had to be done.

"Sharpay." came a voice, and Sharpay froze with her hand on the doorknob as the lights flickered on. She slowly turned around.

"Chad . . ." she breathed, relived. That relief quickly evaporated when she realised he was furious with her.

"What – the – HELL is wrong with you?!" he hissed, trying not to wake up the others in the other room. "Jason is trying to keep us alive – he is putting his life on the line to keep you safe, Sharpay. And you're just throwing it all back in his freaking face!"

His tone became pleading. "Don't do this, Pay. Please. Just . . . go back to bed."

"No." she said firmly. "Please Chad. I love you, but I have to be honest – I need you to leave me alone because I need to do this. And you can't stop me."

"You don't need to do anything." he growled. "Will you at least tell me where you're going?"

Sharpay pressed her lips together. This was getting out of hand. Who was she fooling? She loved him. She knew he loved her. So there was no way he'd let her walk out that door without a fight. So she had to put up a damn good one too.

There was only one way to settle this.

Before either of them knew what was happening, Sharpay had grabbed the table lamp and whacked Chad around the head with it, and he lay on the floor, slipping in and out of consciousness.

"Chad . . ." whispered Sharpay, now crying, as the ceramic lamp slipped from her numb fingers and cracked like an egg on the floor, "Chad, I'm so sorry. You have to understand – I have to leave, but I can't let you come with me because . . . I . . . might . . . _die_."

"No . . ." Chad whispered groggily, so he obviously he was conscious enough to understand what she was saying.

"Look, this is my only chance to find out who APC is. And if I die in the process, you guys'll be safe." Sharpay smiled painfully and him. "I love you. I know that's hard to believe, especially after what I just did – but," she kissed his forhead, "It's true."

And for Sharpay – that was it. It was _Time_.

She wasn't an assassin or a spy or a fighter. She was an actress. She'd never learned a defence move in her life, apart from 'knee in the crotch', which she didn't exactly have to learn. She didn't know any martial arts that could save her life, she couldn't use a gun.

She was just an unlucky, blonde, rich girl who had pocket knifes hidden all over her in case she needed to use them, and even then, she had to be careful she didn't stab herself.

Life was not so kind to her.

**...HSM...**

The house was a dark colour and quite big, with tall trees around it for cover. It was dark and mysterious, even more so at night. It was on its own, separate. The next house was a few _miles_ away. There wasn't much to say about it - just that it could have been a family house . . .once. It was big, and look like it could have been quite a cheerful place, but had fallen into hideous disrepair.

Sharpay crept along the edge of the clearing where the house stood, trying to stay as agile as him. As far as she knew, he was unaware that she was behind him, which is pretty good for Sharpay standards, because she'd been there for a looong time, and usually she was a bad giggler.

It was a shame that just as she thought that, feeling pleased with herself, she stepped on a twig and he whipped around, staring at her at first, then cursing as he dragged her under the shade of the trees.

"What – the – fuck – ing - _hellareyoudoinghere?!_" Jason hissed incredulously. "Oh my God. I forgot that you're so stubborn. I've spend all this time covering my tracks and you've just undone it all by following – oh shit. They could come back. We need to hide."

Jason grabbed her hand, and manoeuvred her around the whole lot of the house, under, over, around, across, in-between, until Sharpay didn't know where she was. Inside or outside? Underground or overground?

"Jason," Sharpay whispered, very quietly. "You're hurting me."

Jason didn't answer, but kept pulling her, moving quickly and quickly until they found themselves in a dark tunnel, squeezing through holes and finally into a dark room that looked like a cupboard or a closet. They stopped, struggling for breath.

"I'm sorry Sharpay." Jason panted. "I couldn't speak, they could've heard."

"Jason," said Sharpay firmly, "Before I die, I just want answers. That all I want. So do me a favour, cut the bull, and tell me what's going on."

Jason sat on a cardboard box and buried his face in his hands.

"This . . . used to be my home. Me, Mom and Dad used to live here. My dad was really, really religious. And he was serious when it came to sins. When my Mom died or cancer, he changed. A lot. He said God was punishing her for her sins. He said he'd had an epiphany, and some other shiit. He was crazy."

He took a deep breath. "My uncle came to stay with us after the funeral, and tried to make things right. He told Dad that he was ill. He needed help. Dad just smiled and said, '_No, my brother. It is __you__ that is ill_'. And he killed my uncle right in front of me. He told me that we were God's messengers, and that we had to save the world from sin."

Jason started shaking, shooting glances around him. "Of course, I freaked. I got the hell outta there. I didn't know where to go at first. I tracked down some relatives and told them what was going on. They didn't know how to handle it first either . . . APC was drawing more people into his web, and so was I. One problem – his allies stayed alive. Mine didn't. Because of him."

There was a long silence.

"When you said, just now, you wanted to know the truth, my first thought was, '_where do I start?_' The real of the situation is this – if I told you all the things you needed to know right now, I'd be talking for a month. It too complicated to even go back there. We have to look towards the future now."

Sharpay swallowed, making her moth moist so she could speak. "So, APC's obsession with religion is what led to this? Is that _it?_"

Jason's voice beacme ragged, scared. "It's not even that. like I said . . . the - guy - is - CRAZY. Think about it . . . think about how we got here, crawling through holes and in-between pipes and jazz. It would be an amazing playground, a maze, and obsticle course even - fo a kid. Think very seriously Sharpay. I didn't wanted you to come here because this is death trap."

Sharpay opened his mouth to reply, but froze. There were noises. Someone moving outside the closet.

For the first time, Sharpay actually looked around at where she was. The closet had lots of bits of things everywhere, dusty things, cardboard boxes, records, flies and electrical equipment. The closet door was wooden, a weird sort of lattice door. So could see out a little, as it was dark inside, and the lights were on in the room.

But even if APC couldn't _see_ in, he could still hear.

Jason and Sharpay scuttled back in opposite directions, their backs pressed against corners of opposite walls, and footsteps got louder, and then stopped right in front of the closet. The two teenagers stared at each other in fear.

They saw the silhouette of a hand, reaching for the doorknob.

In one swift movement, Jason swiftly grabbed Sharpay's wrist and practically stuffed her back through the secret hole they came through, but before he could get in himself . . .

APC opened the door.

"Well, well, well." came that metallic, smooth, dangerous voice. "How lovely that my son decides to visit me by sneaking around in my house like a rat instead of using the front door."

The last thing Sharpay saw in the light was APC pulling Jason out, with his hands around his son's neck, and then the closet door shut and cast her back into darkness.

**…HSM…**

APC made his son sit (tied up) and watch him make his plans, so he could see how he'd killed the last victims, and how he'd kill these ones. Opening his target list, he made a few slight but deliberate changes now that Jason could see:

_Target List Number 4.9.2_

_Target Status:_

_Jason Cross . . . CAPTURED – SOON TO BE TORTURED_

_Sharpay Evans . . . LOCATION UNKNOWN will be tortured, while having a ritual perormed that ensures she goes to hell._

_Martha Cox . . . __STILL__ DYING (poisoned)_

_Kelsi Nielsen . . . __TARGETED! will be shot._

_Gabriella Montez . . . CAPUTRED ...punishment undecided._

_Troy Bolton . . . TARGETED! will he hanged._

_Zeke (surname still unknown) . . . DEAD_

_Ryan Evans . . . CAPTURED ...punishment undecided._

_Taylor McKessie . . . TARGETED! will be electrocuted._

_(Unknown Accomplice – Afro-hair) . . . TARGETED! will be beheaded._

* * *

**. . . what can I say . . .**

**Star x x x**


	14. Torture

**Disclaimer: [_see__previous__chapters__…_]**

**Every movement made is a choice between life and earth.**

**So every movement made is pretty damn important.**

* * *

"Ha . . . . ha . . . yeah . . . down the stairs . . . pretty . . ."

Jason had been babbling crap for hours on end. Hours.

"Wooden stairs . . . turn left . . . trippin . . . haha . . . yeah . . ."

Sharpay was so cared she could barely breathe, just sit with her lower half of her body on the other side of the hole that they came through, and listen.

"Black wire . . . don't trip . . . the cellar . . . ha ha . . . ooh . . ."

He wasn't even being tortured yet. That was the most horrible part. Fear was making Jason go insane.

"Gotta be quick . . . ha ha . . . yeah . . . turn the handle . . . gotta be . . . anti-anti-clock-wise . . . uh?"

Sharpay closed her eyes. She didn't know how much more of this she could listen to.

"Knife . . . door . . . far left . . . oop oop. ha. press three quarters from top . . . on the left . . . left? yeah . . . huh? Oh, yeah . . . eh?"

How long had she been here? It seemed like hours. More. Days. She was so scared she couldn't think properly.

Sharpay forced her numb legs and hands into action, feeling around for the boxes so she didn't bump into them, and not making a sound, the reached the lattice door, peering out between the narrow horizontal slits.

Jason was tied up, rocking like a madman, but staring straight at the door the whole time. It felt like her was staring at _her_. Talking to _her_. And hell, he wouldn't stop talking. Repeating the same thing. Over and over again.

"Just a bit more . . yeah . . .you got it . . . all the way down . . . end of tunnel . . . go up . . ."

Jason . . . Sharpay needed Jason to survive. She realised now, that there was no miracle to save him – because he usually _was_ the miracle. And now he was tied up. What did she do?

ACP had been gone for a while? Should she risk it and untying him? Just as she was plucking up the courage to do it, APC walked in.

She was so petrified at the thought of what could've happened if she had actually gone, and he saw her, that she almost threw up.

"Look . . . to the right . . . the path . . . go right . . . APC -"

"APC? Please, my dear boy. Don't call me that. You're my son. But you've been a bad boy, haven't you? What a shame. Punishment and sins go together, my dear boy -"

APC suddenly stopped when Jason continued to babble nonsense. Sharpay watched him, (his back was to her, she couldn't see his face) stare at his son.

"What in heaven you on about? Hmm? What do you mean?"

APO looked at his son, disgusted. "What do you keep babbling about? Are you sick? What's wrong with you?"

Sharpay saw APC lean forward and slap his son hard with his right, full in the face, but Jason kept speaking, the left side of his face red and his left eye watering.

"The devil has possessed you . . ." APC whispered, and hurriedly left the room. Jason stopped to listen to the footsteps, making sure that they were going down the stairs and out of earshot.

"Sharpay . . . listen . . . quick . . . you there?"

"Yeah . . ." she said hoarsely.

"My bag . . . I think I dropped it by the hole . . . get pen and paper . . ."

Sharpay hurried searched for the bag, finding it, rummaging in the bag, grapping the pen and paper, and scrambling back to the door, peeking through the slits, but not opening it.

"Jason, I just wanna say – I'm so sorry. If I wasn't here, you probably wouldn't have got caught – I -"

"Sharpay . . . you didn't listen to me before. So listen to me now. Don't come out of that door for any reason until I say so, okay? When you can come out, I'll say BOO, okay?"

'_As__in__peek-a-boo?_' Sharpay thought, confused, but APC returned, so Jason kept babbling again.

Then, Sharpay realised. It finally, finally clicked. All the things he was saying . . . they weren't just random things. They were . . . directions! He was trying to tell her something. Help her.

"APC has a tattoo that helps him remember which path to take, because he uses the secret exit you're abut to use -"

APC suddenly came in, so Jason started babbling again.

She wrote down as much as she could, and when he kept repeating it, she could fill in the gaps of what she missed, until she was just listening to him say it, trying to memorise it in case she lost the paper.

_Out the door of this room. Wooden stairs. Go down. Red Corridor, turn left. Black wire. Don't trip over it. Doorknob. Anti-clockwise NOT clockwise. Cellar. Knife in cabinet. Use it to free the others. Far left from the cellar entrance in a door. Press three quarters of the way down on the door, on the left side. Follow tunnel straight down. Go up ladder. At fork, don't go left, go RIGHT. Lean again right wall to find secret path. Leads outside, about fifty metres from house._

Sharpay kept listening to him say it until he stopped talking, so suddenly, she looked up. A handful of men had entered, carrying some strange things; a bowl of water - holy water? – and a knife. And a cross. A metal one.

And other things too.

They began some sort of ritual. APC drew a cross on Jason's head – with the knife. Jason was silent, but the pain made him bite his lip so hard that blood emerged from there as well. APC sprinkled him with the water. And then . . .

"Jason, I am trying to purify us both before I do this. Because I do not deserve to go to hell. Neither do you. So tell me this, and maybe God will give me the strength to spare you."

APC placed the knife against his cheek. "Where is Sharpay?"

No answer. APC sliced his cheek open from eyebrow to chin. Sharpay squeezed her eyes shut in horror but it didn't block out the screams that would give her nightmares for months.

It went on and on. Jason didn't reveal one bit of information, and even managed to taunt APC with things like, "Keep guessing, dude."

Jason was dying.

"Everyone, leave the room please." said APC calmly, his white clothes clean when Jason was drenched with blood. "And do not re-enter, under any circumstances." APC's men left, and the room was just the crazy guy, and his son.

And Sharpay.

She was scared stiff, but even at times like this, she knew an opportunity when she saw one. She pulled out two penknives that she'd brought with her, one in each hand.

APC was speaking, but she wasn't listening. Neither was Jason. He was looking at Sharpay. But he was speaking as well, antagonizing APC, who kept speaking in his dead, metallic voice like he couldn't hear the other voice, but was becoming slowly irritated.

Then Jason talked about his mother. And as soon as he did, Sharpay already knew that Jason had secured his own death. when APC lunged at him with the knife, and Jason grinned.

"Hey dad, guess what?" APC stopped in his tracks, but the knife had already gone in. Jason croaked, "BOO."

Sharpay sprang to life, bursting out of the closet, and stabbing APC in the back while he was off guard. He roared, whirling around, but Sharpay grabbed the neared heavy object, the laptop in this instance, and whacked APC with it. He crumpled to the floor, face down, but she was so scared that he'd get up, that she did it again, and again, and dragged him into the closet, face down, so she wouldn't have to look at him. She was still scared that he'd get up, so she took her bag and Jason's bag out of the closet, hid the hole they entered through, and locked the closet it up.

Then she ran to Jason . . . "Jason? Jason! Hey, stay with me . . . I'm gonna call a . . . an . . . an ambulance . . . Jason!"

Anger and sorrow choked her, and she couldn't speak, sobbing fiercely but quietly. It was like Zeke all over again, and it tore her apart . . .

She already knew he was dead. He'd lost too much blood from the beginning, from APC's crazy cult thing . . . it was too much to cope with.

Sharpay sat down and cried.

…**HSM…**

When she woke up, Sharpay was in the same position as before . . . same place . . . and The closet was how she left it. So APC hasn't woken yet either.

And Jason, of course, would never wake.

She cried again, for ler loss, his loss, all th losses, every victim of this serial killer, every life that had been ruined or destroyed because of it.

Sharpay stared to think that it would have been better if she'd just died, from that moment week ago, when Kelsi walked through that door with a lethal collar on her neck and a gun in her hand.

But more would still die at APC's hands.

That's when it hit her. APC was lying, unconscious, in the closet. If the police found him, many unsolved cases would finally be closed. He was be killed in the worst way possible.

Wiping her eyes, she took the laptop that she'd whacked APC with, and started it up. it was a bit shaky, because of the damage, but as there we no softwares other than the basic ones, it was ok. There was only on shortcut on the desktop. Microsoft Word. She opened it, and waited.

The thought of APC henchmen suddenly snapped into her head – APC said not to come back in under any circumstances, no matter how long . . . so they wouldn't re-enter until APC came out and told them they could.

Could she escape? Or were they waiting outside the door?

Word opened. She clicked on file - open. There were no folders, but tons of files and documents - target lists.

And the most disturbing thing was that everyone who'd been captured or targeted on the other target lists, was dead on the very last one.

**1.7** for Katy-Rose Roberts, **2.5** for Georgina Florida, and **3.9** for Ellarae – everyone was dead.

_Target List Number 3.9_

_Target Status:_

_Mr Dicantios . . . DEAD (shot. reported missing)_

_Mrs Dicantios . . . DEAD (made to look as if she slit wrists in the bath)_

_Officer Shanice Manning . . . DEAD_

_Officer Anthony Hoppers . . . DEAD_

_Unknown Officer replacing Officer Manning . . . DEAD_

_Julian Hyde . . . DEAD (placed in bathtub of scalding water)_

_Evelyn Dicantios-Hyde . . . DEAD_

_OBJECTIVE ACHIEVED._

_Alex Lynch . . . DEAD (killed for interference in Target List's 4)_

_Maye Hyde . . . DEAD (killed for interference in Target List's 4)_

Sharpay remembered what Ellarae put in her diary, 'YOU CAN'T ESCAPE'. And now, it shot through her head like bullets. It was like some sort of sick video game to APC.

Shivering, Sharpay opened her set, the 4-point-something ones. She noticed how she had the most lists. It even went to 4.9.2. She gave a grim smile. At least she'd made it difficult for him.

_Target List Number 4.9.2_

_Target Status:_

_Jason Cross . . . CAPTURED – SOON TO BE TORTURED_

_Sharpay Evans . . . LOCATION UNKNOWN_

_Martha Cox . . . STILL DYING (poisoned)_

_Kelsi Nielsen . . . TARGETED!_

_Gabriella Montez . . . CAPUTRED_

_Troy Bolton . . . TARGETED!_

_Zeke (surname still unknown) . . . DEAD_

_Ryan Evans . . . CAPTURED_

_Taylor McKessie . . . TARGETED!_

_(Unknown Accomplice – Afro-hair) . . . TARGETED!_

Sharpay slapped a hand over her mouth. She was going to be sick. Martha was downstairs, slowly dying of poison, with Ryan and Gabriella.

"Oh God." Sharpay whispered, moving back so quickly the chair knocked over. She could have sworn something in the cupboard responded to the noise, but her mind was playing trick o her, because she was so scared of APC waking. She should've tied him up . . .

"I have to get out of here . . ." Sharpay said to herself, petrified. She wanted to print all the target lists, but she's already wasted so much time. She had to leave -

She grabbed her small bag, stuffed it into Jason's large one along with the laptop, and prepared to sprint. Making sure she had tall her penknives, she opened the door as quietly as she could, and that was the start of The Great Escape.

* * *

**. . . Fin. No, not really! Next chapter is the last. I'm sorry, everyone – a lot of people were asking if this was really the end, so I thought I'd finally post the chapters I had stored on my computer for years. No proof-reading or anything. Just posting. I was like 14, 15 when I wrote these final two, now I'm 18. And still, somehow... this story captivates me.**

**Totally didn't realise there was a 14 and 15, sorry and forgive me! Enjoy... the end of Sharpay's tale.**

**Star x x x**


End file.
